The text reads:
I have been looking for evidence of soft gestures
to remind myself there is tenderness here too,
beyond the gaze returned
by encountering my body in public.
I take note of places that have been tended to.
To tend to is an act of care.
To protect, to preserve
to return to.
I take note of mugwort and fig trees growing out of concrete.
I find places where the light touches.
I think about what a system that prioritizes care might look like.
I look for a place to sit down.
I put ointment on my blisters,
I rest my body,
I stop and fall behind.
I bring my body to [other] bodies [of water]
I play with the light reflecting on my skin.
I watch the swifts,
I take note of softness.
I think about my body.