Begin again after death pull your heart out of the trees hung in a quiet heat these are the
dreams you keep lie in your bed holding them to your chest squeeze your eyes shut. I
hold them there jiní racking breath presses down dreams are all we have you cannot
wake to blink them away to tilt your head back and push them away with your breath
the way you were told. Begin again send the boat away there is a skin hanging between
your worlds I see you laughing in old photos sliding down red glistening rocks into a
river. Did you cry when you left home for the city the streets leave us broken jiní. A
young basketball star from Santa Fe fought with his best friend broke his friend’s leg
and arm with a baseball bat but turned too early and his friend hit the star in the head
and now he has a contaminated mind. Fifteen years have passed. One good one his
caretaker says that’s all it took now the old star can’t remember his own daughter or his
mother’s name. I played with him yesterday his hands still remember the ball but he
forgot me mid-game and walked off the court. Begin again my mother lost her mother
to blood cancer cried in the Phoenix heat hot pavement reflecting the hole where wer
each to look for where to sit at the ceremony where we turn to ask where is the sun veil
to ask what did the medicine man say no one’s there. Begin again you are hungry I
know it running without food will close your wind pipe your heart beat like a wind-up
animal tunnel your vision down to two points of light so please eat some of this leftover
cornmeal. All my life I’ve been the obedient one you tell me at the hospital you drink
this juice the chemical smell cold aluminum scares me. Begin again I will lay in bed
with you count the waves that rock us to sleep jiní they found a baby at the confluence
of two rivers where the waters flow together crying she was the first. Begin again wake
up wake up wake up wake up. Begin the sun blowing on your face ropes of it around
my waist the streets outside are filled with people we’ll walk to the only grass field in
the city and drink the breaking.