Wave's STATE OF THE UNION: Mathias Svalina

FORGIVENESS

There are two

problems: the problem

of human to human

forgiveness & the problem

of a dead blue jay

in the drainpipe.

During his trial

Saddam Hussein

addressed the problems thus:

When Heidegger defeated

the Neo-Kantians at the Conference

he was wearing worn

ski pants & ski pants

became a new invention

that we call "the microphone,

the photograph & the

newspaper."

This is why credit cards

mail you photographs

of yourself & why water

bubbles over the gutters.

There is no history

that passes for history.

Everyone knows the definition

of Darfur & yet in a

random poll of 200 Americans

only 12% would reach

their hands into the drainpipe

& pull the rotting

blue jay out.

This is a lesson on

forgiveness: the scar

forgives the knife

through its pink &

a bomb forgives the

trigger with its blood.

If you see a photograph

of a murdered girl

you will forever after

wear her teeth as a

necklace for your throat.

This is not forgiveness.

It is forgiveness

when you eat

with her teeth.