The Way Your Skin Moves

In another life, maybe your next life
or your last life . . .
Notice the way the slack in your skin moves
and pledge to make things stronger,
tighter so that your children and other strangers
have no need to stare, cocking their heads
and squinting their eyes to see if they might crop
that part of their view.

You might promise anything to keep the well worn
paths free of rubbish and instead plant flowers
and leafy greens and vines that tangle themselves up
in the sweetness of cucumbers and melons
you had no idea
would grow
in this climate.