Canto 33
1
“We no longer consider
a person to be property
as in the past
when slavery was our custom.”
I've
reported our troubles to you and my crinkly voice
grinds from only this throat only one larynx
like a box organ wound tight
like chattering in our park
my reports flitter from these park benches
waver through the air on these black wires to you
when
will you answer this
now
that your father's dead
and
your father's dead
Put
your teeth in baby, I’m gonna give you somethin’
To chew on baby, I’m gonna give
you somethin’ tasty
2
“The US Supreme
Court has extended the rights of personhood
to corporations
where certain necessities of speech occur.”
grief
not all it’s cracked up to be
my balls ache
probably the universe chugging
me and dipping my big toe
into a black hole
but I digress
father in heaven have I sinned against thee
father
in heaven forgive me
I need your help to hand me to lower hell
father in heaven forgive me
forgetting your face shines in mine
my nose larger than a frankfurter
my hands twisting my middle
finger poking my stomach stretching my
knees bowing
father passed but not past
still living in me rosy spots
brown stains on my ankles
crusts on my lips
eyes running
vision narrowing
watching your flat screen
watching your Red Sox
remembering your girlfriend
remembering your vases
made from Quaker Oats’ cartons
your pencil holders made from ‘der ders’
borderless heaven spread across the sky
home to flies and gnats and gods
tightening the belt
watching the budget
how did you get to Jerusalem
in one night?
staph A in the lungs in the blood
the machine dripping opiate
dialed up and up
your oxygen pulsed up and up
I
held your hand
I prayed to God
I knelt against your bed
your eyes above the plastic mask
stirred somewhat
Naomi
prayed beside you
ein
sof absorbs us all
now and always
before and after
rocks dirt and worms
moon
sun
sparks
grease guts
stars
sludge land
dough crawfish bass
and crabs
through and through
the bells ring to wake us
the bells ring to send us
love our fleshless songs
shades sing beats ring
from sass
and glances
love us deep in the bucket
of our sorrow
if ever thou thy dear father loved
the love of tenors
old songs tomatoes in Aunt Cora’s patch
clowns drawn on envelopes
you were a giant on the earth
trudging out to be a messenger
wading out into the Indian River
to hook trout redfish and blues
singing loudly
singing loudly
purging yourself of any greed
yet critical
critical and angry
unwilling to surrender
“widow and orphan and tramp
protect them
protect them”
then rest rest
Put
your teeth in baby, I’m gonna give you somethin’
To chew on baby, I’m gonna give
you somethin’ tasty
3
“Therefore,
corporations being persons should not be
considered
property rightfully held by stock holders.”
I
had to come back again to look at him
I missed so much
his nose had shifted aside as though the mortician
decided this early in his death
his nostrils should focus right not straight ahead
I
counted his fingers
how thin they had become
how sallow the skin over his hands
except the bruises on top where phlebotomists had searched
for one good vein and imposed their own stigmata
I saw your face as if for
the first time
his round globelike forehead gleamed
and some rough hairs ran back combed to lie
closer to his scalp
your eyes are closed
