RESURRECTION

She told me her extremities

had never been more than

extensions of the depths of her torso

which served only the purpose of

pleasing men.

I wanted to trap her arms

in the constraints of security,

to encase her frame so tightly

within my grasp that she felt

no need to reach her limbs

out like twisted tree, like

broken branches supporting

he who lacked the assiduity

to be successful without her

lifting him up.

Like corpse on display in state,

she laid before me, eyes closed,

breath stopped, said "If I could

choose the moment God ended

my days on Earth without taking

my life myself, I would die here,

lying peacefully beside you

just so that I could be

resurrected into a body

which knew not touch

before."

I could smell the scent of coconut

when she reached her fingertips

up to brush aside the hair in my

eyes, whispered

through her battered lips,

and shaking teeth,

"I only feel conscious these days

when you read poetry to me,

so please write a poetic eulogy

for the life I'll leave behind

and one day I'll sit

smiling from chair in front of mic,

listen to you recite and know

that these extremities had

no need to move tonight.

I just want to feel alive."