Pilate ponders where she belongs

the man who hit me goes 
to make love to his wife after.  
someone tells me all of his teeth  
have fallen out now & I use 
mine to laugh & chew 
tobacco sticks. I once prayed 
he would never smile again, & maybe 
the Universe is hilarious, & maybe It 
doesn’t care about our laughter at all. I am 
floating with nowhere to go. trying
to convince people I am alright. a woman 
fit me for a dress. I wanted to show off  
how I rid myself of the violence 
all over my body & she makes 
clothes folks sway good in.
tape around my waist, she notices 
I don’t have a navel & I gotta tell 
the truth—sometimes, 
people are not born, some of us 

fall into this world