Mother Land

 

 

I saw you at the tavern, broken fingernails

with smeared lipstick

drinking whiskey sours. Smoking and debating

the old days with tights and mini shorts.

My orphaned hand handed you an ashtray

in the din of pool balls rolling into pockets,

jukebox tunes of be be bop and in the ghetto

In the howl and haggle of drunks

I recited your song about the home I’ve never known

 

 I saw you in the water

throwing seaweed and clumps of sand

wearing your atomic bikini

I saw a warrior rise out of you

 covered with blood, your rosy cheeks

Allow my clay hands to guide you

to peace my lady liberty I shouted

into the break of waves and wind

 

I saw you at the shopping mall

with bags of over consumption

around your wrists.

 You looked like a movie

fusion bomb

so primed and made up

so explosive and unaware of magic 

your ankles in heels -strong and clicking.

Your thin legs from a man’s painting.

I reached to smack the bags from your wrist

but you walked on knicked and pretending wealth

 

You where in the coffee house with

eyeliner and a corset t-shirt exposing

your watermelons –laughing and bowing

to the attention of the slick dicks

defining your worth you allowed them write

 down their clever puns about your

shadow lips on your tailbone

I wrapped my coat around you but when

I stepped away you let it fall and winked

at me with an eyeful of desire and control