how did you decide to give me up for adoption?

Q: how did you decide to give me up for adoption?

A: i got hot at the sound of your first wailing then a soup
of rage boiled in my belly i was too hot to touch you your
baby heart would have heat stroked could see your new
fingers & new toes go limp what a waste to die so soon
when you took all that time to cook so even though
momma begged & pleaded then got to hollering about my
selfish ways
i refused to waste the brand new life i made tamarra
understood not to push you on me kept her back turned
while she rocked you so i didn’t get used to your look or
your smile or register you squinted the way i squint
sometimes when at a crossroads they stopped bringing you
in to see me after i saw you swaddled in daddy’s big arms
& blinked to confirm you & he shared a nose threw the
bible by my bedside at you both touch me again your
bones’ll catch flame

Filed under: Poetry