Mango River

By Pari

a cable caresses a baby’s neck

the uterine walls panic into seizure

a turbulent birth ends in silence

a memory cries

when she cannot latch onto the breast

two grams crushed

make up for the two acres

we lost in the migration

a man severed from the motherland

within me lives the daughter

mother was told she couldn’t have

a heavy river

I am always bifurcating

butchering cleaving

hacking splitting

slashing slitting

gashing crushing

tearing ripping

open

a succulent

mango

glutinous syrup licks

my sticky thumbs

spare me your civilized ways

of tasting nectar.