Seven people severed from subsistence climb a tree None of them can fit Along thin edges of their own breaththey embroidered a fine lace— red: to give impression that the bloodof dapper enemies lines their bellies and lungs The tree’s an old man bearded with champagne and electionsstatue erections what americana You extinguish yourself with every vote Who is a you— you who gains on me me who belies some strong staggering bellies up to a feast at the family dollar You whothere’s no competing with a sentence of simpering politicos on a mountain of smashed ESPN satellitesThis sport every sport blended blood with landscape It’s ineluctable the non-possibilities ofElection everything is pointing to the trees saying we can’t all fit up there We’d like to—wemust— It’s fitting it’s a ways up maybe we— after this season— are several people already tryingThey count 14 august buds with ballot in hand torch each on a nipple or 2 touched budsslung with sap it’s warm inside another moth-bitten democratic velveteen sweater slingcanteen of sour sips Ruddering me these ruddering ifs— anaphoric November isnever at all—
November Is Never
Feature Date
- August 2, 2022
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Copyright © 2022 by Ian U Lockaby.
All rights reserved.
Reproduced by Poetry Daily with permission.
Ian U Lockaby is a poet and translator living in New Orleans. His poems have been or will be published in Sixth Finch, Denver Quarterly, Posit, Witness Magazine, Poet Lore, Interim Poetics, and elsewhere. He is the translator of Gardens / Jardines, by Chilean poet Carlos Cociña, published by Cardboard House Press in 2021, and his translations also appear in journals such as Anomaly, Washington Square Review, and The Arkansas International. He edits the new journal, mercury firs, and more of his work can be found at ianlockaby.com.
Tilted House is a New Orleans-based book press whose publications span the spectrums of class, race, locale, and generational and educational milieus. Established by a self-educated poet and editor, Tilted House values autodidactism, self-direction, and the underdog—while also recognizing the worth of academia. We want to hear from everyone.
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