To Compare III
By Xuela Zhang
The unexpected
intervals in his tone
converged into
another type of image,
a switch from the voice
of someone into
the lower, clearer voice
of someone’s translator.
In college, Saskia said
a group of psychologists
had asked people to spit
into a cup of water,
and drink. Nobody would.
But it came out of
your own body, she said.
We still wouldn’t
without switching tongue
and after, utter everything
as only understanding—
the white, burdened air
of someone hard-working
for another way to feel.
