Pull my ends/ and see if/ they return/ to centre

 

after Kanye West's music video for "Runaway"

Will we breathe
like ballet
dancers, learn
to bleed song—
toes pointed?
Will you still
learn this dance?
This is me
trying to
lengthen my-
self. To stand
on the thin
ends of my
swollen toes
and fool my-
self into
thinking I
have achieved
balance. Don’t
take my word
for it. Queen
sitting still
and watching
me from white
meal table:
pull my ends
and see if
they return
to centre.
Push in my
protruding
lower jaw,
back until
it fits in
place; bend bowed
legs into
pretty lines.
Please, break bone
if needed.
Pain is how
I’ve learned to
find my shape.
I wear all
black to the
party. Queen,
love, can you
feel the vib-
ration of
my waver-
ing voice? Stand
with me on
top of the
piano.
When you run,
teach me wheth-
er or not
to learn to
run with you.