Girl

here have we Her and river before Shift-in-the-World knee-scrapes scabs insect bites red dye from her hands bleed nopal to lie in the sun pleaches make lace light no namoW retsiS maN about no rustle worry to doze in this plantdom song from the tips wild grasses green buzzing maguey yellow furry petals done mother chores done river wash done sweep now hidden no naM-fear and safe from some bulk none upon her bliss before-the-Shift cataclysmic this-Sun-Made-Lace water cotton breath this myth de-myth

“Shift-in-the-World” refers, triply, to the onset of puberty, sexual intercourse, and “First Contact” by the Spaniards in North America.