paper machete moon

clumsy as i am--
i dropped the moon
from the sky &
it shattered on
red tile kitchen floor--
we'll be wearing
shoes in here for awhile--
come with me--
let's walk along
shoreline made
of broken green 
bear bottles--
the shards click
as the tide pulls in
& out like a great
loom weaving
us full of water--
hold my hand i
want to balance 
on the rocks-- i want 
to stand on
my tip-toes-- i can almost
reach the top
shelf
where our mother
set the moon-- 
gold rimmed & glistening
a halo--
the only saint 
i ever believed  
in was her--
my mother with a picture
book of the saints
in her lap--
tell me a story about
the girl who put the moon
back together--
a martyr without a head--
my father sweeps the
kitchen floor--
pulls a sliver of
glass out of my bare foot--
we drop ourselves 
from great heights--
here-- me & you--
let's make a paper machete
moon so the night sky
isn't so lonely
& the water isn't so misguided
without the weaver--
dip strips of newspaper
in the sea water--
i'll blow up
a birthday balloon
from the top drawer in
the kitchen-- we'll
make it like a piñata--
layer after layer of 
newsprint strips
oh listen to me--
don't read the headlines--
POLICE ARREST 5
TRUMP CALLS ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS FAKE
PLAGUE OUTBREAK IN MADAGASCAR 
ISIS MILITANTS SURRENDER TO KURDS 
i told you not to read
the headlines--
we're safe here
you know? we're safe here
while we make
this paper machete moon--
paint white over
the breaking news--
we've broken enough
today--
hold my waist while
i sit the new moon
up there to dry
in the heat of the stars--
god's little christmas
lights--
he doesn't have
the energy to 
take them down 
off his porch
so they linger
year-round 
sighing as they
watch their reflections
black ocean
sewing itself
into the sand--