Three Days

Katrina Kaye

Allow body release
from the weight
of the last few months.

Insides crave to be carved
free from that which binds.

Feel skin loosen.
Bone peak through
what dares remain.

Tonight, the sunset serves witness
to this request. Not for rebirth,
not for pledging anew,
but as a break to the mold.

Three days is all that is needed
to take the thickness of torso,
grounding of muscle, and shake loose.

Allow healing,

even if not complete,
even if only to prepare
for the next cut.

Break unconscious acts while
there is still time for forgiveness.

In three days, the body will refresh,
like creek water on sunny morning,
like the sound of screen door swaying open.

In three days,
the patterns will break.

May new ones form in their wake.

“Three Days” is previously published in Saturday’s Sirens (2020) and “no longer water” (2024).

Stay

Katrina Kaye

and when they
ask: were there tears?

yes, there were tears

and when they
wonder: where you angry?

no, I felt no anger
only loss, only failure

but his arms
were shaking with
so much anger

yes, there was sadness,
not exactly confessions

I didn’t want to know his
he already knew mine

denial? bargaining?
yes, those were there too

but in the end
he never asked me to stay
and I never asked him
if I could

“Stay” is previously published in Brickplight (2021).

Katrina Kaye

don’t we?
We have a choice in the matter.

We can allow the ordinary the gift of extra
on days when our hearts are a little lighter,

when the sun glitters in our hair
and the wind brings gifts to our doorstep.

There is a battle between belief and logic,
magic and reason, and it is up to each of us
to choose a side.

Whether it be a butterfly upon tombstone,
the shedding of a snake’s skin,

or the playful curses
that come when lead fills our veins
and fire burns through a life’s work,

magic, if we choose it, is ours.