Skip to main content

Cleopatra Mathis

Author

The Gift

Because of your age, your stiffening body, they make X-rays of the child at eight months. It is male with fine silk hairs. Against your stretched translucent skin, they hear his raspy breath, the heartbeat. I have no child but have placed the cat pur [...]

White Field

Denial, because the body wants to trample what it cannot bear. And how rage consumes that field burning in dream light, where again I sit with my brother among the endless meadow-rue. And it is he who is so kind as I make my usual fist, shaking and p [...]

For Blue

I don't forget. I recognize the bruised persimmon of your lips on others around me. And if I never see again the sweaty ribs when the body bends, there's you, picking from can't-see to can't-see. And your fingers on the nape of my neck when I'm about [...]