RATTLE

RACHANA HEGDE

I rattle apart                            sinking into a grey the color of milk
            the black of a bullet striking my forehead                  in the smoke, a man stills my
heart into a burst flame                       like a split pomegranate heaving open in daylight.
            this is the faith of a girl gentled by her fears
the heaviness of death &                    the syrup coating my limbs
            an overcast sky kisses my throat
                                    I have difficulty remembering the truth
what happened that morning or                    the pebbles rattling inside my mouth.
            how to stop falling through openings            hollow space bleeding down my front.
            I swallowed the clouds but                where is the guarantee god heard my prayers?
there isn’t enough blood to wash the wet from my hair
            I will die guiding you here                 not knowing where the memory ends

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