240 Years
Throw a punch before you leave
Rise up on your heels, peel their hands from your throat
And run
Run until you have enough room to charge
Raise your head from the ground
Slip your hand into the indent you left, and
Map the cities hiding in the soil
Bury a dime from your pocket
Stand up, and run away
Stop.
Slither your soul through the gears of a cotton gin
Beckon cupronickel from the rings of trees
Why move when others can move for you?
Grab hold of the wall, and wait for the tremors to pass
Don’t look, don't listen
Because the ground has split
And the earthworms sing praises
To a sky they could never see.
Stay standing, or you will fall through
Stay standing, or you will fal-
Stay-
Wake up.
You’ve been out for a while.
Pick at the leather of your shoes
Regift your cravat to the compost bin
Reach to your right
Feel. See.
The purple of mockery
The fabric of sunset clouds
Look for something better
Look for food
Run your tongue along the ground -
Don't bend down, it will come to you.
Remember the punch you threw
The crack of the nose, the ache of your hand
Pave yourself a road, and run
Aim a bat at the sky
Beat the air senseless for stealing your clouds
Stomp
Scream
Yell at creatures without ears
It has been a while since you slept
-
Return to me.
Let yourself be swaddled
In the finest polyester
Poor thing, you're still shaking
I think it's time we took away your Benzedrine
Run your fingers through paint-stained bristles
Steal a post from your neighbor’s fence
And fashion yourself a sign
The others know
Your voice is gone
And your fists are bruised and loosely clenched
But even now, you scuff your heels against the dirt
And soon, you will charge