On the train from Kraków
Today begins with the beautiful
green eyes of the Gestapo
officer. He looks
at you & you look
Down
sharp command:
You to the left*
to the left, shredded fingertips
to the left, beat mares boiled into glue
to the left, fields more fields more fields more
to the left, twisted dandelion heads, cut-off view
to the left, sound of – then bird body, slumps
to the left, sky bloody, sunset, star-of-David-hue
to the left, a rainbow
to the left, isn’t that a sign of God
to the left, be kind to strangers, they may be angels in disguise
to the left, packed bags
to the left, you forgot your homework
to the left, your prayers
to the left, perhaps tomorrow
to the left, perhaps there’ll be
to the left, tits, vagina out, cock out, camera out
to the left, black out
to the left, swamp swallows shoes
to the left, repeat, repeat, repeat (rhyme, reason)
to the left, discarded fingertips
to the left, discard
to the
Up
Suddenly
birds up up
black marks fissure sky
moon is all outline
yiddish screams
in circles, tower of
wings, strong
pause
where are the rest of you going
so purposefully?
to Krosno not yet occupied
by the Germans?
take me with you
to shelter from electric walls, electric
word
of God
nose-dives straight to the heart
will mother shoo any of you away
as she sweeps the floor?
head caught in the grate, wrings
neck
so quickly you become the abject, you
of the forever moving
sky
in what culture
is bird
soul?
beak caught at the core,
breach, barbed wire keeps safe
and will you make it there alive?
everywhere in Poland
birds
cooked into pies
Straight At Him
as copper oxidises &
graphite scars into
diamond cold as sighs, this
is evolution: bottom-heavy
trees, spindle arms leak
sunlight. a crate of gold
teeth. mortality between
two glances. has it come
to this. not knowing if fear
marks you for lightning
or randomness, he orders
you to the right while everyone
on the left is
& you stand there, among the poplars,
watching like a brave soldier
Beyond
what will be
remembered: hills,
pylon giants, the filigree
bark. how fat
helps bodies burn. what the rosary
made of bread is
to the accordion player with one
leg. at what age girls
began their periods behind carbide
towers. block 19. sweat
of synthetic rubber, tampons
doused in gasoline. then
fireworks. take a shower. cry
when you see water. crisp
light splurges a tractor chugging up
asphyxiated ladybirds.
Run
& later, the mushroom pickers
will report:
you in the forest.
The lollipop lady with her smile
confirms. The cobbler’s
not too sure. An ugly man’s
mistaken for a Jew
but no one dares
correct the officer.
A load of babies. The theatre
across the lake is showing
Aeschylus. The Persians
are dying with such
drama & doctors
prod the bloated heads
of boys. Everything
is haze & holding
on. Soon the cold
will rat out those
in hiding, Run.
Author’s note: In Gestapo ‘selektions’, being sent ‘to the left’ meant death. Reference to Beyonce’s ‘Irreplaceable’ is unintended, although difficult to avoid.↩
