Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Timing

My timing is off
And I am disconnected
As if clocks aren't telling the truth
And my feet are stuck to the floor
Wooden pegs in concrete holes
Broken ankles twisting
Splitting splinters
Splitting skulls
Splitting,
Wooden pegs
Into the salt of this earth
Milling bone,
Into the fiber of America
And wearing it proudly
While we wash ourselves white with money
And spare change
Sparing change for a moment
Then letting it go
As we mill bone down to it's fiber
And wear it for what it is
Which  is America
And my timing must be off
And the hands must be liars
And the little hands follow
Because the cycles are turning
Becoming faster and leaner
And what was once rising is falling
And we pump fire into the mouths of children
Instead of holding their hands
And their hearts
We hold them tight against our broken bodies
Tight against wooden crosses
And perfect houses
Wielding mighty oaks and nooses
For them to hang their hats on
Pounding purpose
Pounding nails into their feet
So they cannot go


For One Shot Wednesday at One Stop Poetry



9 comments:

  1. ...Pounding nails into their feet
    So they cannot go..
    Dang! this was a tough and excellent write dustin - made my stomach cramp...

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  2. wow. same lines as claudia the intensity and vividness of it...nice one shot

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  3. I like how you build the tension - the poem seems to move faster and faster until it hits that ending. Good poem.

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  4. this is crazy good. loved it. my heart is beating a little faster just thinking about your words.

    "And we pump fire into the mouths of children Instead of holding their hands And their hearts"

    um...yes.

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  5. The pain of the broken ankles is almost too much to bear. Yet you have to continue through that uncomfortable angst to feel it's greatness. Wonderful.

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  6. Your words continue to amaze, challenge, and inspire me. Same lines as Lori stuck out for me.

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  7. Love how this builds and how you end it. Yes, we're doing it all wrong here in America, though I'm encouraged by poetry like yours where humanity takes center stage.

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  8. Timing: this is a very powerful poem...and what is to become of the world...your analogies play upon realities people are afraid to face...i think you struck the most meaningful cord in your poem when you wrote "and we pump fire into the mouths of children
    Instead of holding their hands And their hearts"...you can say that again...thank you for this one, for bringing the things to light that most would rather hide from...beautifully written...

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  9. soaring talent.


    Invite you to share your poetry with our poetry potluck today,
    Random poems, poems unrelated to our theme are welcome!

    Hope to see you in.
    Bless your talent.
    Cheers.
    xxx

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