Surrender For SumikoYokohama, Japan 1956
She spots a boy seated between
his mother and father under
a weeping cherry tree. Her scarred
wrists bandaged like grafted
branches reach for a falling
petal and yearns for the son
she gave to her American boyfriend.
He told her his wife was barren,
convinced her that the baby
would have a better life in the States.
Blossoms gather at her feet
like lost children. She opens
her purse to hold the one photo
left of her son and clings
to the likeness of herself
reflected in his dark eyes.
