“taking her into the bracket of her legs”

“taking her into the bracket of her legs”  –Tadeusz Dabrowski

whales bleed to cover her lips

there is more truth in the wingspan of her eyes, than

in the word–

elephants travel through lifetimes to bring her water

owls question the night as she sleeps

each limb, whispers like semi-colons 

separating her compact organs 

and through sound, she unwraps 

the historical implications of bound feet

and hushed waists

follow…