Upfront

Upfront 4/25

Here is a body – standing
between the imagined and the real
waving the flag of bodies electric
trumpeting across the waters
of Brooklyn and Seattle

Upfront – the body
wraps itself in a gauze of protection
the gauze is armor is the Brooklyn Bridge
cathedral against the anti-Americas
rising up from all coasts

What is rising? – from where?
what is coming is a sense of separation
that bridges will not close the distances
and this side is not yours as well as mine
these arrows strike and draw blood

The water is muddy with blood – the reeds
on the banks are turning to rust turning
to wire wrapped along the abandoned train
tracks of the world the abandoned towns
anti-America is not outside of us

Here is a body – standing
slumped shoulders and hung head
we are circling our wagons from each other
the imagined and the real divides
turn into grand canyons against us

Upfront – this body
is trying to raise her hands
step from the pedestal surrounded by weeds
and blood and burn everything away
she drops her torch in the water

She walks into the harbor out to sea
everything seems to be burning in the haze
coming off the river