look, look, see
the way our bodies, our minds lock onto scent
to hold onto the nows, the heres & theres.
i have seen things strong as scent
in this world, i am also locked.
there was a woman
(or was she? not much older than
me, & yet what am i?)
with eyes like light & a lip ring
holding onto her smile like it could save the world. like it
could save you. like she had saved
herself already.
i’ve seen a man, & his face was a canyon,
traced with cracks like a desert floor,
& his hands were knotted as a forestfull
of roots & veins. how many times
did i kiss that face, did i
hold his hands, did they hold mine-
did i walk
away.
there is smoke & there is darkness, drifting.
i am breath. i feel for a heartbeat, & there is none,
too deep in my own body. there are only lungs;
rise, collapse, under my hands i
live, i breathe, i look, i see.
