for Mia

I wore my grandmother's clothes
and sat on her doorstep.
Monday to Friday.
She talked.
I lied.

'I'll teach you how to write,' I said
pretending I could
hold a pen.
'Mouse will eat your ears,' she smiled.

At night we leaned on pillows
watched TV with subtitles.
I made up foreign words.
I told her it was mostly German.

'Tell me more', she said.
'Tomorrow,' I said.
'Tomorrow is Saturday,' she replied.

Jelena Dinic

Recording