• Vol. 09
  • Chapter 12

Piling Up Parts

We stacked our childhoods
on top of each other’s.
We introduced thick head curls
to a wispy fringe, an outstretched chin
to surprisingly short toes. We asked
an aversion to coconut to shake hands
with a set of eyes that can see
through human skin. We put solid bones
on top of liquid calves
on top of steak hands
on top of concrete shoulders
on top of jelly knees
on top of a nose that knows where it’s going.
We introduced a dog eating KitKats
dipped in a silver bowl of breakfast tea
to a cat curled up on the only pillow
it felt safe. We stacked a piano
on top of a steel drum
on top of a left-footed Cup Final volley
on top of being mugged at knife point
on top of writing a Lord of the Rings musical
on top of frozen meals
on top of open ears.

1

Piling Up Parts

We introduced a metal spine
to a deflated rib cage. We stacked being unheard
on top of feeling seen
on top of exploring forgotten thoughts.
We took everything,
we piled it on top of each other
and held hands to watch
the chaos grow.

2