Primordial Soup
by Valerie Parente

Back when we were floating
in the primordial soup
I said I’ll go
but I’m not going without you.

I know in my heart of hearts
down to each molecule
when I chose life
you chose it too.

Across the universe
we swore we’d find each other
again and again
entangled to one another.

We picked the earth
human life to discover
what it feels to be a breath
space and time undercover.

I knew I wouldn’t remember
this very specifics of this promise
but I swore when I found what I was meant to
I’d be sure to recognize it.

– Valerie Parente (6-6-2026)