Lena and Her Father’s Yellow Finches

Lena, you steal grapes from Arabs
Lena, you kiss the darkest boys

She weeps in his red armchair
She sobs on the black and white tile

His finches are yellow, excitable
Yet they die in his house, they die too

Don’t touch her cold feathers, Lena
Don’t kiss your mother’s arms

When her father buys more finches
Lena tends the cage

Lena, you are crying
Lena, let me sweep here

Lena looks for yellow leaves
Under his cold bed