This poem is featured in What Nature. Order a copy today.


                        (including a line by Tobias Meneley)

The fascists have entered the town

           Sun like a late        ripe peach         

           City says no
           to masks

We go with the crows & the crowd
           A defensive line is made

My telomeres            all lined up

The State prepares the tear gas canisters
           (almost wrote teenage canisters)

My pronoun is wearing a mask
A defensive line is made

We go with the G & the H

Poets are often tired
We don’t think the hitting will work
We grow calm          among the zeroes

My house was a little too calm
            Our telomeres all lined up

i’m too old to jump over walls

A terrible beauty is dead

& the sun was tender upon us

i don’t think the hitting will work
A defensive time is made

A poem is not a protest

The Nazis have entered the park

Subject to history’s impress

My telomeres all lined up—
            Subject to cosmic rays

Aw Aw awe awe crows say

My house was a little too calm
Was thinking of Nicolás Guillén

Was thinking of William Blake

We go with the crows & the crowd
Hate hate hate hate free speech

i’m too old to jump over walls

A defensive line is made
            Subject to history’s impress

i don’t think the hitting will work

Changed utterly wrote Yeats

Sun like a late           ripe peace

The State unfolds the tear gas thermoses
We follow the crows          Awe Aw

A defensive line is made
A defensive line is made
My house was a little too calm
A defensive line is made
i follow the crows & the qualm

repeat repeat repeat


Read other poems from What Nature here.