The World Says Not to Expect the World
–Khadijah Queen

But do it anyway —                be made, all
out of love—             taken, bestowed, lived
through, by means of, without

the beauty we don’t want
to waste              & the world says it
wants, but trashes, sees as glut, usable

in a finite manner          We like talk
of human          forevers as holes in us
unfilled, we’re raggedy apartments

Which thin glamour to blame for such
schism, runaways          & orchids
tattooed on wrists or thighs, as dull men scoff—

We still say             keep fighting

& love me again—           don’t the pines die, too

& exactly          with our names

Photo by María Ten on Unsplash