MAUREEN ALSOP
THE NAMING
You study my body as though you are contemplating your death.
Breathing in the shade,
you wake my whole life.
I draw your name from my lungs,
hear you breathing in the shade.
You are my favorite word to speak.
I draw your name from my lungs,
here, in this still morning, you—
my favorite word to speak:
Horse— imagine the fields blown into darkness.
With you in still morning, I hear
light shine liquid on your skin.
Imagine a field blown into darkness.
No, I’m not some map you’ve entered.
Light shines liquid on your skin.
You know our fate is rare.
I’m not some map you've entered.
Awake in me your whole life,
Horse, I know my fate.
I study your body as though contemplating my death.