lives by Mathew Yates
–
who lives coldsweat
under arid suns
praying O grace
wontyouwatertheweeds
–
the called-on cross
of the sun
through branching hands, bathing
the deeper end overlooking
watercress in a sermon of shade
–
& over on the hematite
hill where the moss grows
tired of the slag in its belly
“wasn’t it the wind who said
she liked it better that way?”
–
who walks dust-
roads through
kudzu’d woods
saying O dawn
wontyouwaketheweary
–
& over & over
in the waxing & waning
of selenite wrists
tapped out into the dirt
in the shape of a scar
something sees who you are
Mathew Yates (they/them) is a poet & artist from Paducah, Kentucky with roots in Mississippi & Appalachia. Their poetry can be found in Kissing Dynamite, Screen Door Review, Malarkey Books, perhappened, & more. (@m_yates) (etsy.com/shop/mathewyatesart)