Ma

A train whistles by Ma
And I stall
Afraid for a moment that another step will forever severe our ties.
Afraid I will erase home
And create instead a hiatus larger than the oceans separating us.
My breaths, this life pawned to you
From which I steal slices when you pretend not to watch
So I can distribute slivers to strangers and strangeness I constantly marry
This breath ma is stale without you
And every morning I must brush twice as hard to make it through the day.

Already I am sure I have no bedroom, no study, no corridors
In the house I willingly left.
Already the terrace which was my favorite place
Seems too high to reach.
And sometimes when you don’t come to the phone
I wonder if I have no lap to rest my head on.