we want to ask your forgiveness will you forgive us 
as we lie on the floor in the house 
disrupting the supremacy our bodies in the form of a cross her body over mine 
mirroring mine my breathing echoing her breathing over me 
spherical energies at the heart of matter range the surface of the world forgiveness first 
before atonement because we believe what martin and corretta said 
in america the oppressor will never willingly give up power 
yet by loving the oppressor we bring about not only our own salvation 
but the salvation of the oppressor listen she says for a loving 
message from God transparent we transmit light or we don’t         what does 
God say what do you say we whisper 
we are pulverized we are fused harmonized from the silence 
your voice in our bodies is love her cheek my cheek her hands 
and feet 

                                                                 iv.6 
                                                                 —for Corretta Scott King and Claudia Rankine 

Shann Ray | Atomic Theory 432, iv.7
Contents | Mudlark No. 64 (2018)