I sewed a quilt
double ring
wasn’t born with everything
was young and cold
and needed something
to cover all of my bed
something heavy like
soft velvet
so I took pieces
from all my mothers
aprons and slips
the wedding dresses
that were falling
slowly apart
I had to cover them
with grandfather’s things
a poor man’s shooting jacket
to keep the needle from tearing
the weight of what was there
and make everything right side up
I dug in the chests
and found the colors
I wanted to sleep with
so many blues
and I found that I loved
the darkness of stripes
because if the needle
is just right
and my hands are steady
I can curve every single one
to fit me