Mi MuM

A poem written by Belinda Banh

    At 

opposite                                      ends of the house,

                         Our souls                                                   linger

sKeWeD                               navigation

             Unfamiliar with                                      home?

They slowly touch,

Slight memory of what was.

Tongue too 

          Stubborn

While words                                                                                           insecure.

Lists are productive

                                   ....right?

1,825 

lists 

later

I haven’t gotten to it.

Each unchecked box,

                                             Emptier than the last.

You are not caught

 up, 

 You cannot catch 

 up. 

 your eyes 

deepened,

soul 

Weak-

ened

By boxed conversations.

I miss you.

I see us both young again

Gossiping about boys 

and laughing at childhood stories.

You’d share how the kids in 5th grade 

would call you horse shit.

I’d share how waterboarding 

is in fact not a sport.

But 26 rounds of catch and                              release 

has worn                                                          your trust

Rusted                                                         your patience

While my running led

Discoveries of                                                                                     beyond

                                                          Your belief

I did as I was told:

              I kept                                                                                                                 going

Somewhere, you ended.            And I began.