What is grief…

What is grief,

but a word

that wraps itself,

sucks inward

tautens the skin

in ever-increasing sighs

with every inward breath

draws down the marrow

stretches itself

in inwardness,

the eyes reverting.

What is grief,

but a word

that leaves its alphabet

in ever-expanding couplets

to tighten the vertebrae

and embrace the caged breath.

expounds itself

in ragged exhalation

remembered in a chorus of

o’s and e’s

and y u’s.