culebra canal boats & net fish
no more windows ESCape the unwound protection
that heals an amorphous child, won deterrence Voodoo bags
inhibit the murder that stories tell, the incisions
on our drums ‘que nuestro pais se cuenta sin hablar’
pushing on determined corn husks. count the zero
that impresses germs upon language rails, on
the tree that simmers, showering bomb threats over
THE LOST TONGUE. place hand to the other torso,
place heart to the horse’s hide
and speaking races
over sisters. never do the ties
remember all their screens,
or all their hiding limbs . . . wet on the chair,
‘woven stone’ — places the INCUBATED muscle
on desiccated insects, droves of mango that never
fell
to the floor. a welcome
accomplishment. SURFACE
shrinking skin, the isthmus
isn’t remembered
for its canals. eggs & softened
lizards — poured milk
on the Wheel, red faces
that play the memory of your
silent chairs . . .
some rain
makes the wind full . . .
blankets
into stone
Copyright Credit: Roberto Harrison, “culebra canal boats & net fish” from Os, published by Subpress. Copyright © 2006 by Roberto Harrison. Reprinted by permission of Roberto Harrison.
Source: Os (Sub Press, 2006)