Echolocations

After Gerald Vizenor, with a line from Shakira

As I nametag through life on took land
I send out echolocations of confusion
and gratitude to anything

that can receive it
the big ladder
the little ditch

constellations
made from shifting satellites
named after the children of the wealthy

for birthday presents
chairs made for sitting unsat in
clouds move if you look

or not
there will be a point
at which boxes will hold every

thing you own some frog hops into a pond
and if you’re some combination of good lucky dead
you’ve got one hell of a hell underneath your

clothes there’s an endless story the little ladder
the big ditch
whichever you think is better is better

Source: Poetry (July/August 2022)