in the same way that we are reminded of the softness and suppleness of water when it is pressed against dense, jagged rocks, i am beginning to understand love by having been pinned against some of the most corrosive forces of my life. in the past few years, these poems have been the scraps i held onto when i felt alone. when i was hurting so much i could not imagine a greater pain. first and foremost, they are my catharsis. second, they are my sweet meditation. finally, they are my searing vision. they are my sugar and salt.