God, forbid I fly?

Into the pale, blood-shed night—

The moon, a hand of my dead soul!

God, give me wings;

Is my life not already a hefty toll?

God forbid, I fly.

I find space and create

New time. My father,

Killed for new eyes,

Unseeing of war and hardened

Hearts.

Oh, may God forbid I fly!

I’ll grow, as I promised my

Death-ridden mother—wings

Like skies and cries of

Killing brothers.

Should God forbid

Our steady stride,

Our teeth chattering in the

Quiet of hopeless night—

Should God forbid I fly.