Full Belly

I was listening to Europe

like the old days when peasants would

 

except afraid about the asterisk hovering

over their food        a starving    sentence

and without a pardon

 

A blanket over my head        a mouth

full of fireflies as if I understood

 

from my many many books

 

the king of communism who eats me

like he never has         headed somewhere

 

special, full of death and prayers. Pack mules

and cattle travel like Dutch art next to our

stolen survival tools       wrapped in cotton

 

but not we the living        who are not wont to rest

until the frost is spring          and the bounty come,

 

not paradise, stretched muscles and storm debris

neighborhoods floating down        the river

are what made us happy to help        soon a platter

 

and soon liberation grow, they are I, at peace,

at yes, and all my sisters are pregnant.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

damn this is good stuff, Alex...
we don't realize how well off we are...in other countries there is no freedom, and people are starved to death...and we think we understand but we really have no clue since we haven't really experienced same. And your book line is so good....reminds me of Sean telling Will in Goodwill Hunting how he (Will) thinks he knows Sean because he read his books...but he doesn't really know life and feelings...
And when the storms come in other places and in some way we can help...maybe we do feel some peace...but if they have to be Like us...then we have impregnated them with our own Lady Liberty..and they may not want those kids.
j.