Despite

being a child of many pneumonias
bearer of my mother’s tales
of those who fell asleep and never woke
lungs full of death’s water

scarf wrapped tight around neck and mouth
hood up, gloves tucked, buttoned to the throat
I rolled out three forbidden white globes
and made my first frozen man.

A rebel glowing
with countless chest xrays
lungs unstung by cold
I learned how snow sticks to snow

how to tell the truth
of righteous disobedience
for there he stood and I
would not tear us down.

2012