In which I explain myself

Alex Dawson

I want the garden, not the flowers

in their sterile vase, I want the bees,

the fruit, the soil under my nails,

I want to make a meal

of what is true. The grit and grief

of life, the words you never said,

caught in your throat, I want

them like I want the birds

to follow the invitation of

the moon. When I was young,

someone peeled my eyes wide

like wild grapes. Don’t you see?

I couldn’t close them if I tried.

More from Alex Dawson ↓

• @alexdawcreates on Instagram
• Second Nature on Substack
• Her book, All these Living Things, is out now
• She curated and edited the anthology, Upon Learning That: A Collection of Poetry Based on Facts About the Natural World. It is out now.

You can listen to me read a poem by Alex that is included in the anthology Upon Learning That over on Instagram @rembrandts.cure