poetry

I take my new lover to the earth first

to see how they love my mother

nothing feels right at the end of July

no one knew that a few days later you’d be lying in the ICU

hooked up to tubes and a machine that kept you breathing

and now I count August by fives

today I will be gentle to her

I get tan lines between my thighs where they kiss

there is no space between my knees

these thighs made of thunder or

I am a parent a mother they say but I don’t feel that way because I was raised with parents who expected you to obey at all times and if you didn’t

I forgive you. I forgave you a long time ago, but it