Out

Jude Goodwin

Tattoo Art: Genevieve Caron

I'm full of push,
the pressure of it
fills my ears,
a water hammer
runs through the center
of my bones, this heart
labouring.

I walk the halls of morning,
it's a struggle
the floors are flooded
with sunlight,
I can smell breakfast
but my body
bends around its own hollows

Breathe girl breathe
Now everything
is opening, the books
fall from their shelves
into my hands, spread their pages
give up their scents
history, story.
The fighter fish
opens its mouth as I pass.
Beds in every room
fold over their coverlets,
even the low beds,
the pallets and mats
unroll on the dirt,
the sand, on the grass.
I lie down at last
(at last) I lie down
and am delivered.