The Body Rewrites Its History

 

I dreamt of Molly

Who still lives in the same house

With two new children

And one less husband

But not

In my dream

In my dream 

She walked

In footsteps I left

And danced

In the music

I made

Molly 

Who I forgave

Years ago

Took my path

And made it hers

And when we walked

We were 

Woman and shadow

Or two women

Leaving no shadows

I was happy

And my choice, I knew

Deep down I knew

Was correct

It isn’t a dream

When I travel back

To where my body split 

In the living room

Of the Laurelhurst house

My father with his pants

Around his ankles

And my body shivering

In the cold

“Take her away”

My therapist whispers

And finally I do

Holding her trembles

While my father

Who once looked so scary

Sits fat and flaccid

And finally alone

And we leave no shadows

As we stand in the window

Of my memory

With a new history

To celebrate