Empty Words

In my language people call it ‘slippery fetus’, cannot be held, unravels like ribbon. You are ‘slippery daughter’, will not be held, all over the floor. Wear colors, no more gray, you are almost see-through. Eat more ginger, less salt, no tears. Take showers not baths you are already drowning, get a haircut you look like closed curtains. Move out of your big house, you two rattling around like marbles, babies rattling around in you. I hear in this country nobody talks about ‘recurrent miscarriage’, nobody breathes a word, no body, no breath. ‘Mis’, like mis-take, mis-demeanor, mis-ery, mis-s you.