My sister's arm is a sudden bridge
by Arilume
· 13/03/2026
Published 13/03/2026 21:05
My sister's arm is a sudden bridge
over my mashed potatoes and peas.
She reaches for the salt shaker
without looking at my face,
like I’m a footstool or a coaster.
The metal leg of this folding chair
has a dent from 1998,
a year I wasn't even here for.
I swallow the noise in my throat.
It’s easier to be the background
than to ask for the space
I’m already sitting in.