Maleficent

 

i.

in seventh grade I learned to pray
in Spanish is rezar

edged like razor,
work & worship,

I learned adoption
was life’s sword:

maldición//malediction,
bendición//benediction,

doubled & edged beatitude
I should give thanks, I learned—

 

ii.

she left her blood
woven throughout. her curse,

benison, her hope, imprecation,
I learned

in high school, Latin cursus:
track, trajectory

swooping back. pendulum
defixio. to fix her, defix her;

to defix her, fix her. gladius,
sword of God, I raise

my voice, recite this oration//erasure,
as taught, to give

praise: gladiolus flower bowing
crimson in the pews. I learned

 

iii.

head bowed, do the work,
the worship: gladius dei. mater dei. kneel before

my saviors; savor gratitude. I learned
what words are twinned:

alma, soul; ala, wing. why cracking
open language never made for you

cleaves, gladius meus,
mater mea: pray, mother,

that you are not made-bad
making bad, not the bad-doer

doing bad works, that your
progeny can narrate, orate,

explain away the curse
with which you leveled

her: swoop of sword, swoop of wing.
ala, alma. ala, 엄마, I learned

 

iv.

magnificat anima mea Dominum,
exultavit spiritus meus in Deo

salutari meo, quia respexit humilitatem
ancillae suae; beatam me dicent omnes.

the swoop of these words,
her same-sided wings,

the rezar of my life,
it cut