COUSIN

Skinny as a pup dumped in the country
Wild eyes rearranging reality
talking and laughing inside herself
"They say I'm not pregnant. Don't know nothing."
She rears and throws each word at the clinic
Like the pitcher she was before the drugs
She turns slowly, her black eyes lock on mine
The spiral of time s tops, hangs on my breath
She knows me as I storm her rippling world
I can see my aunt's face staring from hers
from my heart where I stored it when she died
"I have two boys. They take good care of me."
Eyes plead to keep this bit of illusion
"They like t o fish and hunt. My boys are kind."
She flails her arms painting her sons portraits
on the air with words from shattered vision
I sing to summon her mind and soul back
into the empty shell so close to death
Her eyes focus through tears poured directly
from her beating heart releasing her sons
My hands peel off her lifetime of sorrow
I trade it for the Creator's love
I can only pray that she finds the strength
to play out her game like the rest of us
Striking out, hitting triples, stealing home