Arms in the Valley

Ali says we’ll die like this
our arms holding one another
his eyes open
like small complaints

Ali likes children. Ali likes my hair
he says he will go to war
when we pray our hands sweat

sometimes the snow falls
like love and we eat
the saag staining our fingers green

Ali says destiny is a prison he cannot survive
so I gather flowers for our graves
and fall asleep in the winter sun
my palms open to the light

Ali says to wait for him.
I wait with my hands
holding up my breasts
so I can be beautiful
so I can still be beautiful