If sobriety were photosynthesis, I would be so pretty

I lost my luster

then

took to me

and

boy

I

started to shine

color

came back to my

cheeks

I laid these

leaves

like eggshells

my ghost

walked over

said:

remember

to be

careful

in a season

you can lose

it

all

the root system

of all the women

I have

been

speak

to one

another

surging

my spine

straight

so that I

look

up

up

away

I thought I was the

resource

and by

winter

it was

scare-

city

fight

flight

fawn

Bambi

with a mother

wound

You're telling me

I can stay

now

break down

my

branches

boughs

and

arrows

did I believe anything

or did I fall for

my

bloody

show

swinging

on the

sweet

then low

down

a baby

in a bonnet

I lost my love

in wintertime

by

springtime

I had

caught it