the seed I scatter

(All of the images today are street art from Madrid, Spain.)

How sublime of you, sister 

to teach me to read 

two years before I began school 

such a fine foothold 

for you to give me, a gift 

I remember, even now 

how grand it felt to see a word 

and recognize it, to understand 

and when I was twelve 

another gift from you, sister

a new set of encyclopedias 

with …