by JW James.
city of birds your open mind pulsing angels in the middle of forgotten avenues
flocks of birds flying in spurs pearls raining down
the strings of the cello of convalescence
when we were confirmed and took saints’ names in that city
we were told to choose a martyr our souls winging their way over the swamps
over the crucible children
into the abyss
clairvoyants knitted visions in the labyrinth heart with its false exits we were
children with our ouija board worrying the alphabet for places to belong once we
thought a devil creature was contacting us and it was terrifying in an amazing bold
way every fool and child looks for a way out an opening into an alternate world
remember when devil creatures were our biggest problem?
remember when 1976 was the future?