daughter by Suheir Hammad
leaves and leaving call october home her daughter releases wood smoke from her skin rich in scorpio blood survived the first flood each new year marks a circle around her thick bark middle this the month summer and winter fall into each other and leave orange yellow ashes the vibrancy of death carry it all coiled in my belly cut on the cusp of libra tail tips the scales tonight it is raining in the tradition of my parents wanted a daughter not a writer happy birthday poet who loves you baby the way your mama did under her breast the way your father did under his breath leaves and leaving have known my name intimately i harvest pumpkins to offer the river eat buttered phoenix meat to celebrate a new year new cipher for my belly i got a new name secret nobody knows the cold can't call me leaving won't know where to find me october gonna hide me in her harvest in her seasons happy birthday daughter of the falling
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