Hear Me Drown

after “5 P.M. Tuesday, August 23, 2005” by Patricia Smith

put a conch up to your ear        you can hear the ocean
some say          an organic recording of earth
breathing         now earth’s heaving

but so it is with bones              which I know to be true
for every woman harbors a chaos can wait for it straddling
a fever sloshes up a storm in my stomach             I cough up shards
of limestone           hands cupped in cove hurl up an ocean

which costs $11.98 +shipping and tax on Amazon to fall asleep to
which costs $500 a night to dip              your toes into              and keep other
toes out              which              costs the skeletons you sift through
your fingers              marveling              at the whiteness of this sand I

hurl up              an ocean              hands cupped              in cove of limestone
I cough up shards        a fever        sloshes up a storm in my stomach
straddling        can wait for it        for every woman harbors a chaos
which I know to be true              but so it is with bones              now

earth’s heaving              breathing
an organic recording of earth              some say
you can hear the ocean              put a conch up to your ear

hear me drown