mad, marvelous mary..i think about her more than i should

she sees with her eyes
and she talks with her mouth
but it doesn't add up.
it never adds up.
falling asleep on a bench
she loses herself in the sounds of welcome and departure
and dreams of home.
the flowers on the prairie
and the horse that got loose.
following it down to where the river bends away from the earth
she places a palm on it's bowed head and asks
very politely,"what's it worth?".
waking up startled, only half alert
she remembers.
it's been years since she's been home
and for all she knows the prairie is just a scorch mark stretched on dirt.
that's the image that stays with her as she handles the smooth stones.
the ones she picked up outside the pharmacy with the large window that's a picture.
the ones she'll let fly just to watch the glass
and the reflected sky.