That was the year we
stopped killing the bees.
He lost both his parents then too.
Mary said she wanted a new car
with some of their money
but Joe said no and had an oak
bench placed in the park
in memory of Pearl and Steve.
Those were their final months too.
Joe went mountaineering.
Staring out now across the peaks
he wondered at the freedoms
he\'d surrendered
for the conformity of being
between her thighs.