He wraps his arms around my shrunken shoulders
and says I can stay.
His cupboards overflow with borrowed delicacies.
The eggs of endangered sea creatures.
The dried stigmas of saffron flowers.
He places his finger on my chin and pries my mouth willing.
I am thirsty.
He feeds me salted arame
and calls it rare.
He counts for me the reasons
for my gratitude.
Holding Environment
Shannon E. Williams 