Quickly, Before I Remember

poetry
Written By Allison Mei-Li

Bring me the paper petal

of a bougainvillea,

the bit of sea glass

brought home from the beach.

Tell me about the gopher,

how he hid his head

when you made an offering

of plucked grass.

Flaunt your daffodil,

your chip of wood,

your pants that have pockets

to carry both. Let me watch you

eat a peach, dripping and sticky

down the cliff of your little chin.

I want the miracle

of a dandelion,

your breath carrying wishes

further than you can see.

Hurry, hurry—

show me the magic

before I remember

all the rest.

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Allison Mei-Li

Allison Mei-Li is the author of A History of Holding: Poems on Motherhood. Her work has appeared in podcasts, anthologies, and journals such as Rust & Moth, MER Literary, and Sky Island, and others. She lives in Southern California, where she hosts poetry gatherings in her community and online. More of her writing can be found at writtenbyallison.com.

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