Maternal Tumor

She spreads the white icing with precision
but never too thin. Round the outside, the
butter knife slides over the layers, coating
the cake. Therapy for the heckled woman
welding the dull blade on the pure sugar.
Her wrist curves, bends to the variations in
contour. Changes position, adds more icing.
Sides are done, moves to the top to continue.
Sweeping, back and forth to completion,
then inscribes a name for the recipient.
Returns to the tub of the icing, some remnant
spoon lick but it is finished. The empty
tub is scraped clean and buried in the trash