A Bunch of Haiku, Tankas, and Phone-Number Poems from the DC ProtestWhere once were turtles,blue paper hats shaped like fins --a fitting sequel to sprawl exhausted in the grass, strapless,striped socks, and hear flashbulbs snap! sun suddenly harsh flushed octogenarian marched dressed as a tree raising a ruckus marching without a permit past ritzy hotel, a valet in livery, we're saluted with raised fist our host is pictured the next day in the LA times but they didn't seem to know that he, only a month ago, pied the IMF head nervous, dressed to kill, I find dancing in the streets celebrating nought myles and me in drag make a fashion diatribe grizzled stare: thumbs up Mark walked toward Nashville while we drove to Washington 30 miles a day alone, on foot, dogged by cops direct action either way Last time i missed legal training now i'm present who's here? inspect faces write on my arm midnight special legal team at 842-4479 just us the rest went to spokes council pauline, bob; branwyn: whoa a bbc reporter records my unpacking of anti-capital treats I've yet to be hit with a nightstick to the head when will my turn be? I stand in stand-off giant puppets make the rounds remind me wherefore I choose a codename: Bing, the chinese word for ice anticipating gaol solidarity; in a word a love poem folks want through the line two, floridly dressed, approach wear DAR pins with gusto I tighten up "daughters of the next!" I say. delegate sees red charges the line, furious, must have missed the bus at bob's: Jews for Global Justice and Friends, and our group sleep through the whooping of cop cars and futzing with the door lock and long queues for the phone At 19th and I boogieing before the cops is that Mack the Knife? a busfull from Guelph don't arrive till afternoon can't find the protest the police advance we protesters then sit down the press fills the gap "black clad" assonance "failed to shut down" the beating "aren't you frustrated?" head of the world bank "affected", "non-plussed" by us; we are non-minused. The feeling is mutual, not thought, it's the said that counts a trib reporter is cool, thinks we're not clueless (not his editor) defends the role of the press Nigerian disagrees Zeroing in on Sehvilla, some reporters detect she's 14 but have to ask anyway "I'm protesting ageism" sorry, paul we were supposed to update you regularly ... hello I hope you weren't too antsy waiting by the phone at 409 north race a credit card calls a gas station on the way they were worried, too folks I recognize from Seattle wear big signs honduras: billions I remember Bill Taylor telling of Hurricane Mitch 
|
