Short Poems: "you and i" ... (Nayyirah Waheed spur)

every day begins

by crushing things:

i want you this much—

bitter,

need you this much—

cream,

am you this much—

sweetsour,

closing eyes, and 

swallowing.

– breakfast

                                                                           *

every time

i shout “you are wrong”

louder, to cross the distance

i am laying out between

our breaths.

– wrong

                                                 *

now is the time

to cease breathing,

to hold nothing,

and un-learn:

grasping makes 

a closed-empty hand;

feeling makes 

a calm-growing wave,

knowing 

that all pulsing cells 

are such—

liquid.

– swim

                              *

i can only pretend 

every haircut 

is not 

also the same dream

that i am peeling away 

this wrinkle-rust coat of age

to be left with 

nothing but lessons,

a pale-fresh skin.

– shaving

                                      *

i feel 

fingertips 

laying

loose arms 

across my back,

melting down-and-out 

every hard word (and its opposite), 

every tight wish (and its muscle), until i am 

one simple thing again: a bubble, 

bound to (and rising from) 

a universe.

– hug