The Zero Point
Jorie Graham, 15 August 2024
“... burns its small holein the tentwhere 3 lines on paperhave just been written down,the pen is lifting offas the missilehits, the zero pointwhere you callinto the face ofyour childwhich does not move,the zeroof its lid you’re pushing upseeking the gaze –just lookat me, lookback at me its father isscreaming, the zerowhere he only findsa hand, a partof the arm, where he picks them up –they are still warm,he holds the hand in his hand – the zerowhere he mustlet go, where the handmust be takenaway – there is still wind –the children are still asking forsome ice, the one u loved mostturns to u again nowin the sun saying wehave strawberries, we’ve foundshoes which fitboth of the girls, weare walking under trees –where are the trees –us thinking soonwe will take shelterwith people weknow ... ”