I started wishing on the stars in the sky instead. I said to the sun, tell me about the big bang. The sun said, ‘It hurts to become. - Andrea Gibson

I said to the sun, ‘Tell me about the big bang.’ The sun said, ‘it hurts to become.

I said to the the sun
'Tell me about the big bang'

The sun said
'It hurts to become

We were all born on days when too many people died in terrible ways.

and I wonder if Beethoven held his breath
the first time his fingers touched the keys
the same way a soldier holds his breath
the first time his finger clicks the trigger.
We all have different reasons for forgetting to breathe.

The trauma said, 'Don't write this poem. Nobody wants to hear you cry about the grief inside your bones.' But my bones said, 'Remember the boy who dove into the Hudson River convinced he was entirely alone.' My bones said, 'Write the poem.