Knife

A country is a toddler’s hand
that holds you as long as it can before it falls asleep.

A city is a clipboard with lists built and crossed out,
clutched like a punctuated flotation device.

A house is a curled mollusk
fossilized as soon as milk goes sour.

A room is a patient stone in kidneys
kept alive by conflict and clay.

A heart is a spoon
most of the time.