Miranda lost the cousins
lying on Christmas
under the backyard evergreen

sometimes she found herself
where spicey branches drooped
between her and the sharp-eyed

clever-tongued cousins
thought herself down to rabbit size
fuzzy silhouettes against closed eyes

sun-shot orange over gray made
soft sanctuary among the needles
buzz of bees carried her farther away

nearby Grandmother gathered summer
from her garden to keep in glass jars
down the musty basement pantry