Dilruba Ahmed: Snake Oil, Snake Bite

[...] God breathes life into us, it is said,

only once. But this case was an exception. 

God drew back in a giant gust and blew life into the boy

and like a stranded fish, he shuddered, oceanless.

It was true: the boy lived. 

He lived for a very long time. The toxins 

were an oil slick: contaminated, cleaned.

But just as soon as the women

kissed redness back into his cheeks

the boy began to die again.

He continued to die for the rest of   his life.

The dying took place slowly, sweetly.

The dying took a very long time.