I hold a pillow to my heart to remind
me of the power of human touch.
I scratch my left big toe nail on the
inside of the arch of my right foot.
This astronaut pillow molds to my
flesh and I massage between my left
toes with the right side of my right foot.
What possible difference could freedom make?
The call of a thousand terns squawking in self-denial.
When does our spirit become saturated or
Is there empty spirit evermore?
They took Alistair Cooke’s
old damaged bones,
diverted stiffs’ organs and tissues,
“surplus,� spoiled, iced, and sold
uncremated to untold hospitals.
Surgical knives operated
where transplant recipients
anxiously awaited now
impossible recoveries,
stolen dreams.
Copyleft (CC-by-sa) 2005 by Will Doherty.
Thanks to Jacob Appelbaum for his assistance.
Two trees grew side by side
nourished by the same soil
their roots intertwining slowly
year after year.
Two trees who as their trunks widened grew taller and taller
shading each other from the harsh heat of the sun
sheltering each other from the harsh winds of the storms
leaves and twigs falling mixed on the ground.
Limb in limb growing
root reaching root
solid on their own
together two trees.
(For Philip.)
We hang trial less
In Basra, Gitmo, Abu Grahib, and
Uncountable CIA prisons.
Lieutenants and privates from
Britain and the grand old USA
Order us to buttfuck and
Wear a girls’ bra or
Panties on our heads.
Bound in netting or
Suspended on a forklift,
Duct tape prevents us
From murmuring Koranic verses.
After five months in solitary,
They give us their damnedest
20 hours a day.
Helmets and camouflage,
Broomsticks and chairs,
Smash our bloody faces on walls,
Knee our kidneys.
Call us gay
Sons and brothers of whores.
Strip us naked,
Heads in each others’ crotches.
Pile us on top of each other,
Hoods numbered.
Roll us in piss and shit,
Punch, kick, and sodomize us.
Standing on boxes, handcuffed,
Shackled to prison bars,
Leashed before barking dogs.
Standing inquisitional
Black hood and shroud
Electrodes running wires attached to…
Only some soldiers’ grinning notion.
Orders from above:
Guards’ green plastic gloves,
Thumbs up! For a
Job well done.
Copyleft (CC-by-sa) 2005 by Will Doherty
te sientas con las piernas cruzadas
haciéndome frente
mis piernas sobre las tuyas
rodillas a los tendones de la corva
las raÃces pusieron a tierra
espinazos que zumban
manos en cada otros corazones
ojos a los ojos
mirando
respirando
el tercer ojo emerge
p.s.
de cerca
y cerca
viviendo