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Tracy Mumford

Poetry Friday: The final week

Poetry Friday
Poetry Friday
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In honor of National Poetry Month, The Thread is celebrating Poetry Fridays. Each Friday in April, we will publish a selection of poetry from local independent publishing houses Graywolf Press, Milkweed Editions and Coffee House Press.

Today's selections come from Eleni Sikelianos, Layli Long Soldier and Chris Santiago.

Collections featured on Poetry Friday
Collections featured on Poetry Friday
Courtesy of publishers

The book is the house

The book is the house where the bodies are buried
the book is the catacombs where the corpses enumerate
the book is the joy is the place where the copses unfold happy, fragrant, & shining
the book is the meat sliding inside the bear and the bear inside its blanketing fur
the book is the joy was lost on the horizon
as hours flooded in
the trees kissed across the distances, & the sun
mirrored
in its pages the lake
therefore lung-ed as any animal I leaf
the wide pages flammable with life

"The book is a house" from "Make Yourself Happy." Copyright © 2017 by Eleni Sikelianos. Used with the permission of Coffee House Press.

Whereas Statement

'Whereas Statement' by Layli Long Soldier
'Whereas Statement' by Layli Long Soldier
Courtesy of publisher

"Whereas Statement" from "WHEREAS." Copyright © 2017 by Layli Long Soldier. Used with the permission of Graywolf Press.

Tula

One night I am my grandfather.

It's summer; no wind.

My daughter has found
work & love in another world.
The pictures of her son look
almost white.

Her political brother's in prison. The youngest
floats
facedown in a river.

It's a season of abduction.
God is under house arrest.
Doors hang open.

The day before, I saw a man so heavy with blood
his soul couldn't rise out of his body.

I should send word I'm dying but
no one can move, not even
to wipe the sweat from their eyes.

Noon, not a sound: even the songbirds
are under martial law.

"Tula" from "Tula." Copyright © 2016 by Chris Santiago. Used with the permission of Milkweed Editions.