Recognition

He’d been crying.
Now, I’m back.
His mouth, overflowing
with breast milk, drips over
my stomach, when he stops
sucking to look at me, relieved.
Shamelessly happy.
The way new lovers
stop kissing for a moment
just to look at each other
still shocked to have found
each other, and now
to be held, to behold!

The way I used to give myself
over and over to strangers.
Even if I was used and rejected,
it was always worth it.

I’d do it over and over again
and that’s how I knew
it was worth it.