Saturday, May 7, 2016

GENEALOGY ~




Camille Rankine



 Genealogy



I was born in a forest.

I don't know my name.

I was born on a mountain but changed

my mind. I was born

in the desert. All my people died

in the fire and left me

with the gods. They called me dust.

How it burned me. I come from the sea,

I believe. I come from beryl,

aquamarine. All my people

rode their horses off

the edge of the world and left me

on your doorstep. They called me

sorrow. I don't know my name.

I come from wartime. How it burned me.

I was born aflame, I believe. A sun

so intentional. A sun in repose, a sun

in continuous sunset, sinking into the ground.




____________________

Camille Rankine
Incorrect Merciful Impulses
Copper Canyon Press 2016