A Lineage of She

She said she
felt trapped inside herself, as if she

was really someone
else who needed to get out, or else.

I listened for a long time, kept feeding her
drinks to get to the bottom of it.

I told her go see a priest and she said she
had tried and failed, she

ended up in bed with him, or she
thought it happened a long time ago when she

was little and everything
seemed. She seemed

angry suddenly, with me, and I
told her that I had to try

and help, after all, I was her
great grandfather’s sister’s

niece, and I knew
about it, in fact, I told her, I knew

someone who knew someone
who knows, therefore I know,

I am an expert
a priest, I said. She said she

felt trapped inside, as if she
was inside, as if she

said she, she said.