Louisiana Dreaming

She was far from her Louisiana home
and I wondered what brought her to the
Midwest facility.  She never did say.
She leaned on me.  Flaccid left side.
Rubbing her left hand like she was trying
feel the blood.  Rubbing until it went numb.
Occasionally she tapped her left leg and would
berate it.  Talk to it like it was an errant child
unwilling to wake up from a long nap.  I asked her
about her Louisiana home.  Could hear the hint of her
cool southern drawl comfortably ease out
like a warm blanket.  She talked so lovingly and
proud.  But her head was hung low.  She talked
real slow.  The southern belle was tired.  It was
well past her nap time but she was too kind to
tell me.  I laid her down and patted her left hand.
She closed her eyes and smiled her pirate smile.
Right side lifting up as I'm sure she was all ready
dreaming of the moss-covered trees.  The lilies.