MNEMOSYNE

the pond we paint around the fish
a shark drifting into view 

memory trawled to surface
purified re-interred

forced by flagellants with razors and chains
our wounds dearer to us than yours to you

a medusa head a serpent's tongue
brother of fear sister of shame 

memory like mourning in the presence of a corpse
the corpse refusing burial

buildings pocked by bullets and mortars 
refusing to collapse

like the post-apocalyptic tribe sitting on a midden
of glass, plastic, rusted rebars

watching the blank white screen in the hollow below
waiting for the poster gods to come home

and when she fails us we chase after crying 
uh-uh-uh

					

for Walid Sadek