Counting with You

                                       after “Reasons for Numbers” by Lisel Mueller

one.

a vessel. before

two.

you. charcoal on film:

legs, face, heartpulse

three.

holy. so far we have

made it. tuck thumb

and forefinger. show me

4 & 5 we skip like chalk squares marked with rocks.

six.

[me]

brother

brother

       unparented

cousin

cousin

cousin

seven.

rainbows. cast

by PBS & summerhose. days

names, I will have to teach

you when the world starts

to spin again

for now

we rest

eight.

because you prefer two

fours [whole, not

counted] because forever

is looped

mitochondria [N1a1]

because I was born

ouroboros, the year

of the snake

[9] seven was hungry, starving

ten.

because starhand

in mine, because

smalltoes: cheese chips

instead of roast beef

joythis even if

we tell it twice, you will

never have to

go through this

whole world weeping

hungry or alone