We Had Bodies

We were born in Dallas.We were born in Perth.We were born in Brooklyn.We grew up in Poland, Nigeria, Palestine, sunny California.We grew up with money.We grew up without it.Our moms tucked notes in our lunches, brown paper sacks in our backpacks.We rode the city bus to school.We took the train to school.We went to private school.We hardly went to school.We lived in the neighborhood with good Halloween candy.We lived in homes with lead paint.We lived across the street from our best friend.We lived above the yellow bodega that sold ripe green mangos.We lived where you could lay on your back in the dead grass and breathe in the whole summer sky.We lived where men screamed shameful things at us as we walked to the market.We lived where we knew to cover our bodies or face consequences.