River Ravi

Ayesha Owasis

when                                          women                                                            

    desire                                  desire  

          to                                 touch,    

           be                             seen                                                                                                     

            seen,                    scenic chastity 

                fades— i am ashamed to 

                       braid my 

                           hair 

                           in 

                           haste

                           i

                          want

                           to be 

                          beautiful 

                          inscrutably

                          briefly 

                          surely 

                          i want 

                          light 

                          from my

                          palms to

                          weigh 

                          me down

                          make me 

         matter 

                          soft tender

                          quadratic quantum

                          parabolic particles,

                          body dancing 

                          crevice

                          to crevice, 

                          intends

                          insignificance seen.

                          I want

                          to mimic 

                          movement, 

            momentum—

                          mince

                          worlds

                          to

                          be

                          a

                          poet

                          to

                          one,

                          poem

                          to

                          another.