when he found her she was in the middle
of a spiral of her mother's arms
in the morning mom had lost her center
she had no agenda she had no further need
outrage turns to survival
all her thoughts were final
there's no conversation
there is no bargaining
i left my language
i have no use for compromise
i have been forgiven
i have been forgot
but there was a beacon
begging for attention
so long unnoticed
burning out a line of sight
so she saw then
saw him swollen in the light
saw her stolen child
read and write
she shivered
scurried up the mountain
falling toward the center
among her arms
all she remembered all she remember all she remembered
was all she was
turn back now
wash your hands now
of all that made you more
than you were born