A Crown of Dust

(a cento)

3

closer than secret
the peonies rise up from the soil just to see
        the roots naked, render
What I learned by height—

that's the story

How could I say no to you

at one time we couldn't see
where the water was born

          Yes, of
course I'm afraid of death, but no less so
       my
own life.

But the dream repeats itself. Every dusk,
the longing.



Line sources:
Yalie Saweda Kamara, Sally Wen MAo, Airea
D. Matthews, Kaveh Akbar, Brandy Nalani
mcDougall, Tarfia Faizullah, Vievee Francis