When my dad was closer to death than to us, he’d call out for his mom. His sickness made him weary.

One slow breath in and a single syllable out: amá

Gentle on the tongue, bitter in the lungs.

I never asked him why he cried out for her but I think it was because we want, so greedily, to somehow squeeze into a fetal position and remain in our mother’s heart for as long we can.

Carved deep, sewn slowly.

Nestled deep in her chest, near her neck, closer to the clavicle.
6

You might also like…

Poetry

Mirror, Mirror

AJ Rocca

There once was a glassblower who lived by the sea. In the daring years of his youth, the glassblower would pull all kinds of strange and wonderful shapes from out of colored glass. He blew neon spires ...  [+]

Poetry
Poetry