Coincidentia Oppositorum

Camille Rankine

I like to think we were born
on the same day. Why not
let’s speculate. Your heart

bent and hovering
over the front lawn. Mine
in contrails, softly

against the blue. If it wasn’t
like that let’s say it wasn’t
at all. Don’t let’s

fight. Don’t say I didn’t though
I didn’t. Let’s put everything back
like we wanted. I raise my hand.

A conductor. Darling, lightning,
let’s begin. You, singing
in the off key. Me,

in the wrong
skin again. Hold
your applause. Don’t

approve. It’s not
like that. Let’s say
I don’t know how to start

a fire without you. I just keep
talking, talking. I repeat: let’s play
deity. We weren’t born

at all. We were counter-
feit. I made you.
You made me, too.