this morning

by Turtledove

Last night I dreamt of my mother
and woke early to
run to her arms,
like I sometimes used to do

"I had a bad dream"

I cried as she held me

She wiped my face
and together we went downstairs

I made her coffee,
she made my bagel
and we laughed as we ate strawberries
with whipped cream

She didn't ask me what I had dreamt of
Because she knew I'd seen her dead