Try

The taste of your pain is in my tongue.
And sucking it into my throat
we know not the outcome of this dysfunction.

I said long ago,
this mouth is layered too thickly with loose dirt
to lick any of your wounds clean.
But I will try.

I will try with dying hair
and blinded eyes
to tongue the poison away,

And I will suck the buildup into my lungs
until they leak
with rape and disease.

I will try with broken fingers
and torn breasts to heal you.

But know that this dysfunction
leaves our bodies and blood
with no guarantees.

You breathed life into me
to tear out the brokenness
deep within your marrow.

I promise nothing,
but with shredded lips,
I will try to heal you.


Abigail Zambrana - 2007