they tell children 
in Utqiaġvik

wear your hat 
or the northern lights
will steal your head 
and play basketball with it 

guidance 
I might have heard 
if I hadn’t grown up 
two thousand miles away 
in a suffocating city 

instead they told me 
stay alert 
or someone 
will steal you 
not just your head 

the first time I saw the aurora 
was far too late 
for a Native girl 
it was on my way to the airport 
to fly back to where 
I didn’t want to be 

stay with us 
they whispered in pink and green 

I want to 
I whispered back 
can’t you steal me away? 

no 
just your head 

and they did 

until I came home 
and gave them 
the rest of me too