Every Scar is a Map

By James Diaz

If it’s hard it must be useful

Even the dark which is sometimes more light than we know

Has its own hand in us

Moving our needle north

There is sorrow in each breath

But there is also release, friction

Heat, deep gorgeous blooming

From out of nowhere

I thought I had to be small to exist

But existence never asked that of me

I wanted to write you a love poem

You, boy, who loves a girl who also hurts inside and doesn’t always know why

You both share this penchant for not knowing, and fear and trembling

And also courage, though you don’t always know where it lives

It’s inside you, this kind of poem

Which must be loved from within

And held more times than you’re able to hold a thing like that

Against your heart

Where the soul-needle moves

And you must follow