بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

wandered by wild fields & water
marched over concrete with staccato steps
hey mr. heron across two bridges & a tiny waterfall
your grey body under a white throat is so still and graceful
crouched on crunchy pebble path to stare
dipped fingers in flow of river
you stand there knee-deep and lonely
squirrel stares in silence, mouth stuffed with a green acorn
leaf-shaped stain runs on wet concrete
stopped under purple-green tree with leathery star-shaped leaves
smelled leaves, no information came from nose
walked, walked, walked
fast through forest
feet rolled on road
hey ms. n across the room
are you reading lines to me
when you say it “got me through”
i disagree & you can’t define the meaning
are you lying to me
read 골프 advertisements in waiting room newspaper
she stared at the koi on my fingers
i am indigo-stained
she asked about the flowers on my palms
i am nothing, like i told you before
just an indigo stain
it was the kind of screaming that tears at the throat, damaging, desperate
it was endless, ms. n across the room, and i agree that “terror” is an accurate description
please stop it with the caveman ancestor explanations
it’s unnecessary seeing as these things apply in the modern day
it’s disrespectful to our ancestors
it’s reaching, demeaning, doesn’t add depth to the explanation
please explain what you meant because that doesn’t make sense
got me through, you said, but it doesn’t make sense, are you...