Unrecallable last time

The last time I saw her
she was planting
daffodils under old pines
wearing leather sandles
walking on winter needles
hoping her bulbs would grow
high
higher
highest
taking her
up
up
away from
nightly empty beer boxes.

She was lemon-juice blonde
wearing frayed jeanshorts
carrying a cracked wateringcan
wonder how the picnic table
ended up in the front yard
and the backyard became the front,
ball & chain locked
eyes casting down
not even an eye-whisper to a stranger.

Was she thinking
why didn't I listen to my schoolboys
who
whose
wisdom seeks
soulseeker
dreamcatcher
catch me if I fall
way
down
under
Australia
and why has it taken so long to say
goodbye to the tall
tall pines
moldy ceilings and
chipped paint.

But when was the last time I saw her?