solid

to be engraved in stone
and placed on sand

meditation on the headstones of Jeremiah and Lydia May Gumbs

this is hard
this is cracked strategically
is damaged by design

any/way i name it
this presses on my chest
inevitable and smooth

slowly flattening the heart
that beats back
juststayjustsaypleasestay

i hug your hardcover books
gasping at the warmth of loss
trying to take
your place

will me
the fiction of surrogacy
take this pick me loan me you

tattoo your voice into my outstretched arms instead
whisper up the wild reach of my hair and leave it silver
freeze into strung globes against my throat

sign the li(n)e
a polished stone

here
this body is yours