time

* in sacred memory of George Floyd.*

knees are for praying
for closing the distance between eyes and earth
returning to the shape of space our child arms held
remembering the sacred by remembering ourselves 

not for taking life 

knees are for bending
to tie shoes 
dig in dirt 
to pick up and scrub clean 
knees are for jumping and dancing 

not pressing the hardened face of your hatred against the tender harp of a throat

did you know knees have diaphragms 
a small web of life in each leg inhaling the tide of our length stretching up and open

knees are for taking someone’s breath away with a promise to stay

not taking breath

knees are for scraping
for playing so hard we can't be bothered by cautious grow ups’ careful warnings

not for ignoring the terrified pleas of a voice pinching shut
of a body raked in pain
a spirit clinging to life
resistance going limp 

knees are for praying
for closing the distance between eyes and earth
returning to the shape of space our child arms held
remembering the sacred by remembering ourselves 

not betraying the generosity of gravity that has never once paused in its promise to hold you gingerly to the ground, not for forming a deadly weapon of your weight 

knees are for praying a soul torn from his life
finds comfort in the thousands of footsteps of strangers 
invoking the holy in his breath