Lying In
On bed rest desire becomes a sheet.Let it fall over mewithout hands. Let it.
Before I knew I was in dangerI did not get up. After,when I say how long I lay downhow can I make you understand it was an order?
In bed what time has done to me iswhat it cannot doto him. I become the mortalpregnant with a god, if only he canbe born.
Whatever happens don’t blame yourselfthe ER nurse says when I am
diagnosed with threatened abortion.
She holds my shoulder with one hand.With the other, crushes a Vicodin.
Can I take that before it’s over?
Try to gather yourself, the nurse saysso I look for my body everywhere:
The placenta dangles off like fruit about to fall half-mine half-
Forget mothers.
The living woman scrapes out the unlivingevery month to fermentand when I…
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The American Poetry Review (Digital) - 1 Issue, March/April 2022