Unidentified (Poetry)

Death by drowning — river brown
with city dregs, the body floats
surrendered to a winter sky’s
cold focus where the bridge looks down
and sees her bundled, unconcerned
with dignity — wet chain store coat
clinging, mud-stained, buttoned shy
of close inspection, pockets turned,
their cloth tongues poking, mock this game
that lends no clue, reveals no name.

No one missed her or made claim
to kinship, friendship, knowledge, gave
a flower for her pauper’s grave —
buried loveless —no one came.