Legs, after leg day.

for Stephon Clark

So.

Stephon Clark has a cell phone he slides into his pocket.

it is night

so suddenly and rapidly dark. By overturning

it is easy to see that stars are fond

of searching. 

Yet

in some temporary brilliance a silvery flashing forms

a pooling cinquefoil with leaves of red tomentose

beneath. Phones

are to guns what sketches

are to naturescapes; are

what a face is, broiling against which

the voussoir's of governance, fake honor. With

my friends watching "Roots" in the 70's

no one wanted to be Kizzy. Intelligence meant

you had rose above the kinky rolls

of dreams; of midwives pulling babies 

by their feet on narrow strips of wood. Even in

the paradise of a mothers yard

no one wanted their backs to hunch over.

Yet

often the phalanges of this life

can trip you trying to glide to your completeness.

Ash to f*****g ash

without as much as a buckled loosened

or a garage top radiographed for shadows.

Just shot.

Just killed.

Reviews

[Zeitgeist Manifesto]

This is some powerful poetry. Superb and intense. I know that the pain we are exposed to by the media on a daily basis can move us out of a world that is purely our imagination, but these moments lead to an intimate self portrait of ourselves at a specific time.

'Intelligence meant
you had rose above the kinky rolls" - That line was deep. So much hope and potential destroyed in this story. It was tragic to see life discovered to be a lie.

The "Phalanges" was crazy imagery that tapped into a primal fear that can exist deep down inside in this country. I especially liked the last two lines. The clever writing and creativity lead to a great body of work that was wrapped up in a raw emotion. Great piece.

[Corset]

"Even in the paradise of a mothers yard no one wanted their backs to hunch over. Yet"

No one ever wants to grow up except the ones that are to little to be grown yet. Little ones will be the first to want to help you do a grown up thing. I loved this one

[h d e rushin]

I love you so much/ dana

[Corset]

You have such a sweet and generous heart my friend

[emmajoy]

' often the phalanges of this life - can trip you trying to glide to your completeness. - Ash to f*****g ash without as much as a buckled loosened - or a garage top radiographed for shadows. .. ' As to those final four words.. they stand, bands across their eyes.

You tear apart without apology, you see where others fear to tread.. and still and still strip Life stuff as you would the clothes from a bed. Dear Lord whoever or whatever feeds your spirit, dana, seems to keep your mental pot on fierce simmer. There's so much hurt out there, we could drown in it.. or we could face it.. but surely nobody should run from it.. is it possible to isolate truth and not turn it into conveneient stanzas.. i dunno anyrmore. Yours, befuddled near the cliff-tops.

[h d e rushin]

how could I have missed this review my love? th/danaanks for the sharing of ideas......it is the basis of information....all information.

[emmajoy]

It is indeed. The words 'Info' and' Idea' begin
with the letter 'I' -phoenetic - 'Eye'. What means? To see and try to find meaning, perhaps? Words are welcome whenever, dana.

[Einstein Noodle]

a seemingly harmless and quiet night ...thoughts and memories of mothers and grandmothers .. people with history ... explodes into horror and disbelief .. the abrupt closing lines delivers a shock wave to my face ... leaves me rather stunned ...and thank you for my new words ..especially tomentose ... who can not grieve for the loss of human life in such a tragic way ..i hope that we will allow the investigation to move forward trusting the truth to be known to all ... until then conjecture is counterproductive ..there is a silence of grieving that is respectful and welcomed by family because all words fall flat ... but your poem is so straight up ... you tell a much larger than life story about Stephan .. well done says i!
E.
ps. i know it is inconsequential to your poem but do you mean the plural voussoirs instead of "voussoir's" ;)

[h d e rushin]

Yes and yes....then yes again about the plural inconsequence. I've become too political for poetry, which is my fault since i watch too much television news....lol. But things, like injustice, touch me....even get under my skin. Which again is my fault since i watch too much television news.lol.
Thank you dearest brother for those kind words....dana

[Einstein Noodle]

:) i had to stop watching ...i get my news on the radio more than not .. and then only in small doses .. the hate, distortions and vitriol is disgusting ... i wouldn't vote for any of them ... some good will come from all this i believe ... more independent thinkers with clear visions and grit ... how can one argue against growing economic conditions, expanding businesses hiring more Americans, paying higher wages, shrinking welfare recipients,shrinking unemployment, ISIS barely heard of along with all their horror ... that's why i think in the end good things will prevail ... love ya Dana! big hug...peace and joy always ;)

[Delmar Cooper]

Oh hell, Dana, you know it's great and you know I can't say why. Same way you can't look at something without changing it. Scientists say that. So maybe there's some things out there in the night we should look at, again, and again, till they change.

[h d e rushin]

great point Delmar. Copernicus' notion that time changes space still applies to what you've offered. We are incapable of filling ourselves with enough stimuli just by writing about what hurts us. Poetry means that you've imagined something larger; conquered all the things smaller and turned to gas or liquid all the other things more ethereal. My mother says "give it over to God". But she's not a poet.....thank you again for those kind words my friend....dana