My mom tells me the other night
I saved her life in 2010
because I was here,
so she had a reason to be here too.

Maybe this is what it means
to be a daughter—
a soft landing for a mother
to survive her sadness towards.

My grandmother tells me
When I’m gone,
I’ll give you a necklace
with my name on it.
If anyone asks,
it’s your name in reverse.

My grandmother in reverse is
a mother becoming a daughter
a body becoming its birthplace
a grief becoming its ground

and all of our mothers
have a reason
to be here.