Jasper Morton

If you wrap your hand around your mother's wrist 

your fingers will touch. How 

do you come to terms with that? How 

do you learn that your father's shoulders 

event horizon–

boundary of a black hole beyond which not even light can escape–

a point of no 

return 

so imagine, my dear, a color 

that is not a color 

This love is a gold rush

covered your skin

What must it be like to grow up

that beautiful. 

This love is a fever dream

in the quiet of the night

It kills me slow

I just want you more.

we watched the world end from the top of skyscrapers 

as the stars set the sea aflame 

as highways gave way to yawning mouths 

as kudzu devoured what was left of our neighborhoods 

He likes to sit by the window

watch the sunrise

I like to watch the light

play of his hair

see the golden flecks appear 

in his galaxy eyes

He likes tea in the evenings 

We will fight

gaining the power

of the women who came before

stand tall stand strong

against your walls

hand in hand.

All these years

we have stood

behind the faces of men