Impossible Children
by Haley Lasché
They follow the night out of the harbor
their eyes, waking the reflection of sand
beneath their feet, as though magic was still alive, my
my. What tenderness is lost
in conviction, like apprehension.
It’s so hard to avoid being a contranym of oneself
adding in the same moment what we’ve tried to shed
The door is open. The glass is clean. You can see
what this room has to offer. Or walk
to the edge of the water, like me
fearful of the binary life it looks like I’ve chosen.
Yes. We are all impossible children
wanting to please and needing autonomy,
thinking that both are attainable or neither.
Jesus, help me stop. These are all the same words.
-From Blood and Survivor Locofo Chaps (2017)
their eyes, waking the reflection of sand
beneath their feet, as though magic was still alive, my
my. What tenderness is lost
in conviction, like apprehension.
It’s so hard to avoid being a contranym of oneself
adding in the same moment what we’ve tried to shed
The door is open. The glass is clean. You can see
what this room has to offer. Or walk
to the edge of the water, like me
fearful of the binary life it looks like I’ve chosen.
Yes. We are all impossible children
wanting to please and needing autonomy,
thinking that both are attainable or neither.
Jesus, help me stop. These are all the same words.
-From Blood and Survivor Locofo Chaps (2017)