Anna came in hot / told Mom she was having / an abortion / Mom said wait / and didn’t she
know Mom and Dad / had been trying / to have another baby / and no they couldn’t / could
she? / do it / for her mother? / Anna crackled and heaved molten / warm teenaged tears / ran
from the house / who doesn’t want a mother’s love? / being born a twin / Anna’d always had
half / of everything / Anna said she would / grow into an offering / incubate a sister / ash to
ash / kindle to kin / I saw that she wore / the same / big / black and red polka dot sweater /
day after day / despite the swelter / of summer in Florida / she covered / what she didn’t want
/ her classmates / to see / sometimes Anna let me come near / hold my hand to creation / feel
her shimmer / Anna ballooned into a circle / floated away one day / seemed to me / but they
just took her / chopped her / open / took the baby out / put nothing in / to her arms / I sat on
Anna’s bed / Anna said / I Don’t Want To Scare You / and showed me / the staple marks /
biting her / belly like a bear snare / I wasn’t scared / then / but now I’m a mother / I know /
I could / never / burn my child / the way they burned Anna / from the inside / licking her up /
with their own trapped longing