Upon Witnessing an Exploding Whale

Momina Mela

one breach — roll along shore hem

harpoon-sea ebbed and resolved from puncture dews our

calves blunt cold, gaze fat with sex and cool america —

gravity imbibed heaps meat after loam, salt from our napes

lulled to a gaping mouth pulls mucus to spit

kids, pick ligaments in the shape of broken cliffs

dignified, dig your foot here to mark the shooting rib

speary in earnest — catch blubber on tongue

body of water, water my whole unbirths pique clean

these knees heft from carrying bone tapers a swallowed vista

my soul, I repeat my soul, your arms are flimsy from too much dynamite

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