You grew into your legs, Tall One, didn't you
Blackouts
Ralph Angel
rolled through the city.
Whoever has an answer won’t last.
Traffic muscles through. Whole families lazing on steps
eating grapes. “No I’m not,” says the youngest
to her canary. “You grew into your legs,
Tall One, didn’t you.” Then
no one. Loosed papers
flatten the fences. Bits of glass rest there
and burn. This part of nature
runs along ridges, sprouts
wings in the valleys, and wanders
the world like a candle. A general steps
down from his pedestal. Everyone
hated that statue. She points
left and says “right.” She could be
an orchid. All those seen from afar moving away
from the market. This part of nature
breaks down the butterfly, this part of man
into flutes. Flop
through your branches,
naked one. In room after room, your
strangers have raised you.
Ralph Angel
rolled through the city.
Whoever has an answer won’t last.
Traffic muscles through. Whole families lazing on steps
eating grapes. “No I’m not,” says the youngest
to her canary. “You grew into your legs,
Tall One, didn’t you.” Then
no one. Loosed papers
flatten the fences. Bits of glass rest there
and burn. This part of nature
runs along ridges, sprouts
wings in the valleys, and wanders
the world like a candle. A general steps
down from his pedestal. Everyone
hated that statue. She points
left and says “right.” She could be
an orchid. All those seen from afar moving away
from the market. This part of nature
breaks down the butterfly, this part of man
into flutes. Flop
through your branches,
naked one. In room after room, your
strangers have raised you.