by Evie Shockley
time for me to make tracks. six lines
running south to north. three stops
along the way i want to leap in passing.
i’m leaving the foothills, low rise
in the earth just high enough to let me
see the first leg of the journey. i’ll
have my skirts tucked under me,
stiff as metal, an armor of poplin
and starch. no man will be surprised
to find how much give i have in me,
cuz what i’m giving from above my
hem ain’t for him—or him—or him.
see the creases of my knees? look no
farther unless you want your ruffles
feathered. weathered. show me how
smiles pleat your face. there’s a pattern
here—you follow? i left tracks for you,
beauty, and i’ll be waiting for you up
where all the lines come down to two.
From:
Suddenly We
Copyright ©:
2023, Wesleyan University Press
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