I must take everything with me

 

I must take everything with me,
my pieces of history die as I do,
my words curl away like winter’s breath
 an unsure memory.

evidence does remain, of course,
secondhand proof that I was there,
for you must know my sons,
their words turn to ink and stone,
 impermeable to heat and time.

I must take everything with me,
myself, my heart included,

And yet you steal my children
like the effort of making myself seen,

And yet you steal my mind
like the words I wrote,
speaking for myself,

And then you covered mine with yours,
called me crazy when I shouted truth,

I must take everything with me,
for you insist that I gave you nothing.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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poetic x