Absence

Rachel Sawaya

 

is not like losing a limb
_
it is more like gaining one
boneless and disobedient
sprouting from the chest or belly
tripping you up, constantly
_
apt to brush the ungainly
digressive chill of the grave
against any
who dare to approach
_
the worm is yours forever now
treating it kindly is the only
way to tame it, though it will
always be heavy
_
one day it may stop
leeching every vital fluid
let some trickle back
to swell your arid wastes
_
the only way to live
is to let it exist
it will grow no matter
your choices, so
_
jibe with the extremity

 

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