THE TATTOOS WE GAVE EACH OTHER ❋ June Gehringer

we wrote our love
with safety pins, drew
crooked constellations at
each other’s edges.

ursa major might outlive
men and languages yet
starlight ages
with whatever word we cage it in.

there are as many words for stars as stars,
as many words for love as words, just
temporary forms
for something nebulous.

there will always be more mouth to name the stars i left
dangling from your ribs.