She Swallows the Stars

Bare knees in damp, midnight grass
She leans her head over the creek
Her reflection just a shadow, rippling
Framed by dancing starlight
For a moment, she forgets
Her sandpaper throat
Dipping her hand in the cold water
She forms a leaky bowl with fingers, palm
Carrying liquid silver to her lips
She swallows the stars

© Nichole Liza Q.

Inspired by the German word, gurfa: the amount of water that can be held in one hand. Found in the book, Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World, by Ella Frances Sanders.