i stand by the edge of the lake
 
four-day wait for
my period to come,
 
in a dorm room far
from home
 
 
wake to a feeling of
pooling inside me—
 
fingers fold wet &
color copper-red
 
 
—no daughter,
this daughter
 
 
had already thought through
not hearing from you
 
& what sweater i’d wear
when i took those pills at home
 
 
 
outer casing of hickory nut,
green heron flying low
 
 
—she’s walking away now
 
& i don’t know how
 
to tell her why—