planted, I rot
germinated, then wasted away
here at the end are "wet," "torn," "soiled,"
no words to conjure true magic
I have no arm to raise
no sword to brandish
three times
and fade away
(once) I cannot
(twice) I cannot
(thrice like a charm) I cannot
lay me in the lakebed and bury me in mud and amber beads
close my eyes with pearls, peel back my fingernails
dress me with wheat-holed coins and discarded fish scales
press me into the clay and let me breathe green lake-water
I wish I was anything but this
