Sinking Velvet

The soft animal of my body,
she knows
Always does

While everything else panics about,
she waits
Gentle breaths swooping in
out
in
out
on blue feathered wings

There is no hurry, she intones
Pushing is a punishment,
only causing meat and bone
to convulse and stagger

Shhh, she whispers
Come here

Inside the sinking velvet of her,
surrounded by sunlight and ribcage-
I am too large to completely contort,
yet not small enough to be dismissed

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