did my palm lines
foretell this?
dirt smudged my cheek bone
no room for shock under the nails
the creases between my fingers
heavy, stained

they tell me
soak so the only pain will be
here between the ribs
i pour salt in
so i can say
the salt on my cheeks
isn’t mine, it’s from
a clawfoot sea.

soak now it’s been a long day
night comes daring me
to sleep without him