If the mouth is a house
Then most days I am homeless

My Mama taught me
Women are loved best when silent

Once I leaned into a man's shoulder blade
I haven't found my tongue ever since

I hear my father is a dream boat
It is no wonder I am afraid of the sea
Each wave carries a sound I don't have the courage to carry

If the mouth has four walls
Then is the roof a spotless wonder?
My Mama fetched her voice box for a pipe once
I've been scared of smoke ever since

No mouth
No cave
No casket
No shadow

My mouth harbors love like a well
Except most days the container is brittle
I've been taught to fear large bodies of water
cnd boats
cnd men with the collarbone of a man i can't remember
But will always relocate the familiar
Hum

Mommy mouth screamed at a gun twice
Each shot siren sung like an air raid
Or a prison break
Or a black man's back
I am always concerned with my tone
San Quentin children learn they place
In the limestone
Somewhere;

My father got a skeleton awake and swaying
I'm still afraid to go home
I've learned to live amongst a commune of ghosts
Each ghost got a special something
cnd remind me of sin
Where all the women talk real loud
Let men marry them or not
Hit them or not
Leave them then come back
Years passed and skin sagged
Locks unchained
Mouths unhinged
cnd swinging hello
To any two-bit hustler with swagger

No matter
If he arrive with another woman's scent tucked in his collarbone
My mommy used to sing to me
I've no proof
But my spirit whispers sunsilk memoir in my dreams

cnytime I hear a horn scuttle across the dusty room
I think:
This sound smells like my mother
It's the best kind of sleep
Way after dusk
Well before I wake
With a bullet between my teeth