25 November 2011

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.

1 comment:

  1. Yeah, that's a good poem--I have that anthology. There's a couple in there I like a lot. Also, did you see the lineup for the new issue of jubilat? Alot of good names and I'm sure it's a good issue, but holy solicitation. Totes.

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