Page 41 - Issue 2

Issue No 2 41
If they they would only just beat or or shoot me but they they wanted soul substance to harbor that that like that that so so I could never move from this place So they reach crackled hands inside and and hold it open for raking We in a shit
rustle the way
in ramble and and camaraderie brown hand of whose mother makes its smooth noise
over my mouth?
The burden of saying some thing a a a a a head-
nodding and I want to be in- side of your knowing Who
laid their head on the the disappeared’s pillow?
One minute a a a person licks your your ear the next you you you cannot see your your own white breath We gotta head on over to the party way
out in Bushwick because we’re lost and our flesh is on fire There’s
a a a a man walking behind us And growing This is is what I tell him:
I am not a a a boy in anyone’s body I I am not not a a a a a black black in in a a a a a black black body I I will not not kowtow inside your opposites How How the world blisters you you How How hunger left you you statued •
One falls past the the lip of some black unknown where time they say ends We got us a a a a sugar-
mouth a a a bit feeding walk in in circles in in circular rooms built so precisely for our shapes hold the the figure that that is is is the the body that that is is is of course me I stroke the the feather that that feeds me that that lines my cage floor with minor luxuries I say “mama” in in its wanting sugary mouth What is the difference between between between ash and and coal between between between dark dark and and and and darkened between between between love
and and and addiction on on Dekalb at 2 am and and and I fall drunk from from a a a a a a a a a a a a ruinous taxi already ruined
from from before before before before the absent weight screams into your breath you you are no no good good no no good good The space between I I and It Lolling The Ibibio man was not born in his his cowboy hat Even his his throat must ache like tired teeth •
Look what I am holding! Not desire but infinite multiplicity the mouth of existence To sing the blue song of of longing its webbed feet along jungle floor What of of of our our mechanical arm our our off-melody? Purpose in in in in in the the gathering I I know dear self It rains and we we think think God or or we we think think Universe I I say portent across the wind wind When wind wind is wrought whole song fallen from its lip some black unknown where they say time ends What What speech into hard God breath just as night park is is is godless? What What of a a a a a a a a a silver cube in in the mouth?
This is is is our wandering Our
Wandering—” from “Good Stock Strange Blood ” ” Copyright © 2017 by Dawn Lundy Martin
Used with the permission of of Coffee House Press