say something about yourself

morning builds brick by brick
what night dismantles

say something about sorrow

then the markets were full
of police dogs

say something about cruelty

and the dogs were full

say something about yourself

: I had a doll named January First
: her eyes were marble blue
: tip her back & they would shut
: like an ode to hinges, openclose
: a backslash ode
: stop/go goodbye/hello

say something about beauty

I went into my inmost thought
where underwater cliffs
& mountains shadow

I collected flower lists, the list of berries
separating the poison ones from the sweet

a list of woodwinds
a red boat listing in the bay

say something about cruelty

no one cares whether or not you eat

say something about the voice-out-of-a-whirlwind

yours is a mortuary art
heart gets atomized
to e-a-r-t-h
in your vernacular

say something about the bride

there are pills for laughing
& for remembering
pills for staying awake
a bracelet that tracks your sleep

say something about lovers

my plum tree! my samurai!
my-o-my, speak easy, please

it’s a feeling in the torso
put your hand here—
some arrow pierced through
some sparrow