progress on the prairie

Underneath my belly,

Above my knees,

Hanging in front of my shoulders,

In my clothes,

Is my body.

Behind my forehead,

behind my boobs,

In my fingers and lips and soles,

Is me. 

One day, all this flesh will be ash and dirt. Like my dad’s and Nana’s.

And every violent word, every piece of trash, every destruction, every punch and kick, every fuck you, every disrespect I ever shared will outlive me.

But so will every kiss I ever gave, every hand I ever held, every dance I ever did, every idea I ever shared, every touch, every meal, every compliment, every wink, every teaching, every love, every tear, every help.