duplex: saturn

written 20 dec 2020
inspired by "duplex: cento" by jericho brown

to be loved is to be old,
and my body was cracked, quieted when she

heavied the steering wheel with her tears, when she
pulled into my stomach the weight of her gravity

saturn, bringer of old age, is known for her gravity
but i know it is warmth at the core of her body

so there must be warmth somewhere in my body
though, in comparison, it is far more small

in the car that night, her and i both were small
summoning vapors from beneath our frail bones

now i do what i can to warm her with my frail bones
to love at the risk of breaking, the way she taught me

for it was that night when she taught me
that to be loved is to be old.