the land before pixilation

 

 

 

Unlike the books I carried

to unravel the incredible

or the dark speeches concerning polarization,

there was good time for song

 

for Temptation routines, the luxury,

the unraveling of indolence. And for

those girls in middle school

who refused me a slow dance,

 

f**k you too. I would go on to

learn closeness by not letting up on my

weaknesses; the trumpet that was pawned

from right up under me.

 

I was far too hypothetical for love.

Too anxious for it like popsicles

or the dull green leaves of autumn.

 

These flawed bones, confederate, nevus

against the charge, snuffed out. I remember

what America was like before I

found usage presumptuous

 

when the Chi Lites asked "Have You Seen Her"

her answer was, "i'm in trouble" for missing

my irrational monthy

 

letters that just recently surfaced from war,

from the attics of Color Purple consciousness

destined for blues or the sure bed

of pale hysteria, I am.

 

Watching the wounded absorb light.

I scan their offerings now. Nothing is

more romantic than the making of kool-aid,

the many layers of sweetness,

 

the stirring, the utterness, until heaven

the suprachiasmatic carefulness that becomes;

the attention you give to a thing fulfilled.

Kinda like a woman,

 

no doubt.

Reviews

[Ken Simm.]

I've got to like this and find it so multi layered and elegant. not least of which because it mentions 'Have you seen her?' which brings back so much that is personal and significant for me.

[K. Louis]

I read this several times. First, your flow is truly...well no words..but magic. I loved this poem Dana; probably one of my favorites by you. "I would go on to learn closeness by not letting up on my weaknesses" - Just. YES. I like you, I like your writing, I connect, I feel lucky to read you.

[W.k.kortas]

What the good and wise Emily says--there are references to a very specific place and time, but this is no wistful nostalgic-to-the-point-of gooey period piece. It moves seamlesly along the time line from here to there, as is fitting (since we certainly do not grow up in straight lines, do we?)

[Emily B]

oh, dana . . . the layers, the sublime layering of voices, i heard Maya and Alice and so many others that i never ever met and your voice, stunning, just stunning

no doubt