hero’s counting exercises – Sophie Lockwood

1                      1

I reach into young girls’ laps to pluck up petals of my lover’s namesake, braiding up 

2                      4

a loose strand of hair with the splayed stalks. When the tower-girls whisper, who 

3                      9

are you?, their rich bones rattling in the wind like reeds, I proclaim myself Hero 

4                      16

of Love. I listen to their sighs as they each fall to the earth. When night comes 

5                      25

I ask, Oh Leander, take my hand and lead us into the wood, so that he might smile 

6                      36

upon me. Take my head between your gentle legs and crack me open like a walnut.

(I know I shouldn’t.)

1                      1

Leander, oh, Leander come take my hand and he will smile upon me and—

(I shouldn’t be thinking about this.)

1                      1

The walnut tree, I meet my lover where young girls’ swoons swell and harden 

2                      4

like bird-bones. I rattle my teeth and call, Leander, I am a reedy wind. Who 

3                      9

are you?, he calls, night has come and I am afraid of the woods. I laugh and take 

4                      16

his mighty legs

(It didn’t happen that way.)

1                      1

(I shouldn’t be thinking about you, I need to breathe)

2                      4

(god oh god what the fuck)

3                      9

(I can’t breathe what the fuck did you do to me)

  1     

(L—) 

1               

(I can’t breathe)