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By series: Bridge St  In Yr Ear  Ruthless Grip

Naming the Baby
scared it will clutch green
be unreachable across flow
violent as Columbus
we can’t do anything, it feels
awe between storm-dressed death
compares life to
man, an X-shaped resistance
but nothing was done
for man an X-shaped
nonmilitary face
as if the end is composed of brick-like desire
worst suspicions
do you name it as you see it
now
or as you witnessed it
here
humane and raw as in a fine-looking founding
including circulating rumors
holder of the heel
unrequited wall across the sea
would be grateful if any of our friends
our collective aerial capacity
as we drive and conduct ourselves
to be a strong champ of digit theory
to be concerned about behavior’s
opponent begins with wood, the wide element
deforested, as much dollars a day
as a month of Sundays
people out there who do not wish us
indeterminate intention of heaven's outstretched hand
birth month, when a rocket was fired
coiled mass of  bar codes spell out ‘emperor’
hunters, hoping their darling
defeats unbound dread
most dangerous is out of place
succor annihilated so he prowls
ask what I am doing, who am I
hides humanity
five children, but I can’t make Saint
that first bloom of love
haunted by day-to-day extreme
point weapons at residents
defend the pearly turnstile
urgent issue behaviors will allow
the darling to defeat unbound dread
and our children in our streets
as they ran alongside our convoys
oh, prosperous spear
I’m worried we will be hit
awe between rehearsed death
get into our homes
our businesses’ succor annihilated, we prowl in place
fed up with the barriers
indeterminate intention of heaven's outstretched hand
reason to maintain strong
displacer
instead, a street in the middle
encircled by glory
talks into its radios and peers
struggle-like
we seemed lethal in our quaking
our supreme subsistence
immaculate, simple
choices we too might make
many child soldiers act manly
both prevail in a harsh world
Like him: penniless, defenseless
A darling who defeats the unbound dread
Of weary acceptance, “what can I
indeterminate intention of heaven’s outstretched hand
Use a bag printed with cartoon figures
Grown in the same way, the same root as man
 “victory people” left us history
we both prevail in a harsh world
the least seven people living on the
strong stumps of digit theory
vagrants and beggars too late
for the Prosperous spear
 “victory people” left only the vaguest concrete history
Grown in the same way, the same root as man
Shock and sorrow with the arrest
can we hide a human
cut deep across class
during the day but deserted at night
unreachable across flow
violent as Columbus
jaded by reports of violent crime
meaning carried by the wind
demanded answers
ability to succor annihilated, we prowl out of place
have never been seen before
the same way, the same root as man
a symbol of both
There does not appear to be any
“Darling” who defeats unbound dread
though “social cleansing” – perhaps
Haunted by day-to-day extreme  
Child, love the Group that provides protection
Displacer
 “victory people” left only a hazy
silence, indeterminate intention
of heaven’s outstretched
literary hands: who makes choices
to continue an X-shaped resistance
on sidewalks where so many
remain in the streets
darlings who defeat unbound dread
our name veers to cut across classes
world oh mighty!:  a familiar archetype across the years
no plans to unclaw the green
to thwart the violent flow
down on a hard luck
unforgiven
as Columbus
“If you die, you die,” says Displacer
encircled by glory
struggle-like
between death
Displacer, defend the pearly turnstile
Its wily objects
of consumed confidence
will end up in a pile
of  desire
delivery devices


This poem appears in the 2005 Anthology
View all poems by Diane Ward