roadside memorial
crumbling tombstone
this is where I bury my lost
and this is where I bury my forgotten
split lip
tetanus shot
this is where I skinned my knee on your concrete hip
and this is where I thank you for it
threaded needle
broken clasp
this is where they stitched me closed
and this is where they left a piece of you behind
punch in the shoulder
punch in the chest
oh! how I love to be loved
even in the worst of times
Estella Burque (Sweet Rabbit) is a lesbian Mvskoke Creek writer currently living in Portland, completing a degree in creative writing at Reed College, and the winner of the 2024 Mary Barnard Poetry Award.
