what will stay

A boy once told me that he could crush me, if he wanted.

I liked it because I liked to feel in touch with something bigger than myself

that wasn’t God.

I also liked to see my bones

They are a reminder of the shape of myself before other things were added.

It reminds me of what will stay.

I wonder if you would recognise yourself in this story.

I wonder if you would recognise yourself in these bones.

I wonder if you would recognise yourself in this body.

What are the knives you turn inside yourself?

I am talking to you and me at the same time:

you could char half and I could bleach the rest in the sun

and we could play chess with these bits of what will stay.