Even a week later
				the hand is clear
	sitting in the leaves like soap in a bowl.

It's easy to discern when a body is dead.

							Most of us are animals.

			Most of us know when we're not alone.

A head that doesn't turn toward on-leaf footsteps isn't alive.

You don't have to touch it to know.

							Even when we saw the blood in the room.

			The holes all over her body came next.

All you had to do was look at her hand.

							If you weren't thinking about your sister.

		If you weren't huffing the cold air.