Magnification

Pharmacy. Aisle nine.

Mrs. Dahl holding drugstore readers

to the fluorescent—chin tilted up,

same angle she gave when your answer

wasn't worth correcting.

Mouthing a pill bottle to choose

between 2.0 and 2.5.

I was sixteen. She had Frost

by heart. No notes.

I thought that meant something was solved.

She's shorter than me now.

Orthopedic shoes. Picked the 2.5,

walked right past me.

I stood there holding mouthwash

like a kid who didn't get called on.