Between my skin and the water by Miriam Sagan

Between my skin
and the water
is my history

my expectation
of a blow
or a caress

my name
the angel changed
against my will

changed from
“girl” to
“bitterwater”

changed from
“maybe someday”
to “right now”

when I say
crippled, that’s
just what I mean

between my skin
and the water
I was alone

on a riverbank
in the darkness
a stranger

walked towards me
just my height
face to face

wrestling
beneath meteors
the rings of Saturn

I asked you
what your name
was

and for answer
the angel of God
dislocated my hip

when I say
lamed, that’s
just what I mean

when I say—
transported
solitary

redeemed
that’s just
what I mean

between my skin
and God
a sheen of sweat and dust

between myself
and being two pounds of ash
just my breath

between myself
and the placental
world

there’s nothing
not even
skin.

***

Arthur Roger Gallery, NOLA