for SH 

 

she ate flowers for dinner / hibiscus stewed deep  

velvet against soft lobes of pineapple / tender  

& unpierced / the way her ears were twenty 

years ago / before a needle mimed a bullet &  

mined a hole deep enough to see through / gold 

rod she bled around for weeks / her mother shared 

the hibiscus tacos with her / took a bite then said 

i've never eaten warm avocado before / holiday wish  

lists of studs hoops drops dangles fishhooks / none 

in her jewelry box now / except the pearl snowmen  

she didn’t ask for & has never worn / but keeps 

because her mother gave them to her / driving  

home digesting petals in the passenger seat / she  

doesn’t know why she nodded when her mother  

asked / right before the needle burst into her  

lobe / if she was alright or why tonight / after  

her mother said i'm so happy you’re staying  

with us / she only thought to ask why?