assumption 

up in heaven are
they jealous of mary's body?

her warm blood &
halo echoing like a sun

all the souls meandering
on cloud-streets like
curtains perpetually blowing open 

her soft caramel skin
noticeable against the blankeness
of heaven

does she miss earthly clothing?

how it felt wrapped around her
the sensation of touch--

joseph's hand on the small
of her back 

the surface of souls
is different-- almost not there--
like a handful of cotton candy

does she sometimes wish
they would have left
her body in the dirt until
god brings everyone else's?

sometimes laying in heaven's meadows
& praying to him

why god why did you 
take me with a body?

down on earth she occasionally
wanders the outlets

sifts through sale wracks
for a good deal

a blouse printed with lilacs
a dress with ruffles erupting 
from the hem

she bumps into me 
& i notice her right away 
from her wooden statue
at the back of our church

her assumption carved into
a walnut tree's dead chest

during mass i traversed
each etched ribbon & spiral

dark brown knots in the wings
of the angels hoisting her up
her face staring beyond
the skylights of the church 

i wanted them to take me
up with her 

find me in the lumber
of a tree & pick me
up to heaven like 
uncle rich scooping me up
as a 7 year old girl
to set me on his lap 

i follow her to the dressing rooms
& she comes out ask my opinion
on a few outfits 

i tell her she should try
twirling in the navy blue gown 
& she carnation-opens 

she tells me she's never
been to a dressing room before

so we get her measured

yellow tape-measure around
her bust & her waist

she tells me she shouldn't
crave to feel beautiful
that beauty was something
heaven had nothing to do with

i tell her to forget
heaven & we try on 
sunglasses in the aisle

watching each crease
of our smiles in a square mirror  

she doesn't buy anything

she never does 

says there's no room
for material things in heaven 

i buy her the twirling dress
& i fold it up 
in the top shelf of my dresser

tell her that if she
needs to come down 

if she find herself restless
hungering for cloth across skin 

that she can walk in through
the open window
& try on the dress again
whenever she needs

she kisses me cheek 

she tells me she'll put
in a good word for me 

& i laugh 

i sneak into the church
when dark in the dead of night
with a whittling knife

carve myself beside her
in the statue

the angels 

hoisting us up