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| The Yangtze Turn An ancient Himalayan army once rushed down to where the river contorts satori south to nirvana north seething from an attic of chant-riddled cloud and died in swarms on scythes and hoes of farmers who fluster their huts with screaking parrots Himalayan sky men curiously falling seed pods Here the water changes its mind the fierce captain is mutinied by some blubbering father here Nazirah bursts red rivulets from her through the scuppers a run of blood for once spilt in joy I rummage an old jib for my two loves to swaddle him, the saucy nudist to dab her grinning lip she's near bitten clean through Himalayan dead line the banks, present arms curious blessings from seedpodsky the boy sputters and lets howl while the river, the planet pirouettes on its toe tips my tears slick the chain, anchor's aweigh and some sacred family drifts forth south to north my son, wherever your rising heart commands |
Barely Upon The River The day he hit her can all be explained: a low cloud was mocking the earth then soldiers on the bank and gunshots throttle open, the engine crippled and straining Nazirah screams, shielding baby Akami panic panic Safely past Ekimi now lathes the wheel sometimes this way, sometimes that eyes barely upon the river he wants to scuttle himself on the rocks hack off the bludgeoning hand to back time up and take that unleashed instant away He can't escape her dry cheek her wet lip spitting Arabic like a burning house Nazirah will not look his way perhaps never again out on deck, the sound of rainstones under donkey hooves she's crunching the machete down over and over butchering to two parts melons grown to be one
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