quilting

somewhere in the unknown world

a yellow eyed woman

sits with her daughter

quilting.

some other where

alchemists mumble over pots.

their chemistry stirs

into science. their science

freezes into stone.

in the unknown world

the woman

threading together her need

and her needle

nods toward the smiling girl

remember

this will keep us warm.

how does this poem end?

do the daughters’ daughters quilt?

do the alchemists practice their tables?

do the worlds continue spinning

away from each other forever?