How to Fix the Roof

Pull the carcasses of a few
crocodiles from the Nile River.

Say a prayer over them.

Remove the scales one by one,
noting the order in
which you removed them.

Ship them all
across the ocean.
Across the desert.
Down the river.

Ship them anywhere where
there is a hole in the roof,
where there is likely a hole
in a human being too.

Ship them to your house.

It might cost a fortune.
It might cost a species.

Purchase a ladder.

Scale the walls, scales in tow.
Pull them from the bag.

Shingle them in the reverse
order of extraction.

Wait for the rain to come.

During the storm,
you will be in
the belly of the building.

Preyed over. Dry
inside a larger body
weeping for you.

Cortney Lamar Charleston