I HEAR YOU'VE LET GO
—Rosario Ferré
I hear you've let go
now listen
when you walk down the street
everyone points a finger at your craning head
as if they wanted to floor you
and squeeze the trigger and bop!
your forehead crunches like a beer can
don't say hello to anyone
don't comb your hair or shine your shoes
cross the street on your own arm
shake your own hand, stiffen your neck
and watch out
there goes the looney, they say
you wobble by, your head dusty
like a wooden saint sticking up in a parade
its feet nailed to worm-eaten boards,
gazing far off
don't let your flesh blossom
let yourself be chewed up
I hear you've finally let go
listen carefully
rope yourself to a mast
tie yourself to the Polestar
don't take down the old planks
don't pry the oars out of their locks
nail your best eye to the star
keep the faith
don't wink too often
sleep quietly on your fists
don't worry about remembering
shut your glass-cutting teeth
cage your tongue
don't swallow anything
I hear you've let go, friend
the time has come
now cut the cord
climb the wind
toughen your heart
(trans. from the Spanish by Willis Barnstone)
_______________________
—Medusa, with birthday greetings to Sacramento's Annie Menebroker!
Joyce Odam and Annie Menebroker
—Photo by Sandy Thomas, Sacramento
