sinking past an empty 4 PM like sitting knee-deep in brackish water
pruning joints and lungs flushed with green moss, I am
stagnant and the day is hurtling toward an unforgiving sunset,
a great asking:
what have you done today
to prove you are worth something
and I surface blank-palmed
river mud mouth smeared and crying
I wish and I wish and I wish
on a starless sky
what have I done today to be not worthless
can I sweep up a pile of little reference letters and paper kisses,
huddle them around my kneeling knees
can I fan the tiny, licking flame that whispers honey words to me
like "you can" and "you must" and "you will"
will the exhale help or
am I too silt-sunk and soiled
is the concrete on my ankles hardening now, am I
too many years flung too far past fresh starts
did I throw my clean slate in the swamp
what have I even done today
what have I done
