Praise Song for My Mother
You were
water to me
deep and bold and fathoming



You were
moon’s eye to me
pull and grained and mantling



You were
sunrise to me
rise and warm and streaming



You were
the fishes red gill to me
the flame tree’s spread to me
the crab’s leg/the fried plantain smell
replenishing replenishing


Go to your wide futures, you said