by Kelly Grace Thomas

My mother-in law tells me
a baby will not come 

without music. Says in Sufi 
cultures, any woman 

who wants to bloom 
mother is sent 

to dark. She must steep 
inside a cave, damp with doubt, 

until she pulls song 
from want. She must compose 

the lyrics to welcome 
her child in. And when she returns 

certain with hunger, 
she must teach 

each cousin, neighbor, 
family the chorus, 

until stranger 
and soothe mean 

the same. So tonight, my child, 
I build my body, 

your village. I unfork the river, 
water each vineyard, serenade this sea. 

I have written this world 
for you. Can you hear us 

chanting your name?

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Kelly Grace Thomas is the winner of the 2020 Jane Underwood Poetry Prize and 2017 Neil Postman Award for Metaphor. Her first full-length collection, Boat Burned, was released with YesYes Books in 2020. Kelly’s poems have appeared in Best New Poets 2019, Los Angeles Review, Muzzle, and more. She is the Director of Education for Get Lit- Words Ignite. See kellygracethomas.com.