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M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 0 8 W W W. T I K K U N . O R G T I K K U N 79 POETRY Toespeckledwithblood,sourblushofspirit, thevillager'sthumbsmashedblue fromhammeringevilthoughtsinto theYorubatotemman: hismarbleeyeandsmileofbone floatabovetheindigestiblebelly ofgriefsthatthetownsfolk havefedhimnailbynail…. Ababyfightsgravitytostand;herbody listsandyaws,beginsitslifeofself-correction sothatlater,ifsheslashesherwrists andchokesdownallthepills— still,theyareanti-coagulants; shewakesupalivebutscabby. Unversedinpoeticjustice, thebodyforgives butcan'tforget. Weusedtoreaditslowly: duringtheancientwars,amessenger coulddawdleweeksincamp untilhishairgrewback, hidingthemaptattooedonhisscalp. Nowwepayforourfigures: whenthedictatorproclaims “thefuture'sinyourhands,” rebelschopoffathousandarms, askingthevictims,“shortsleeveorlongsleeve”— Shallourbodiesgrowinnocentagain? Wehavecleansedourselves,planting crimesinthespongyfleshofourteachers: opentoourmistakes,theirskinabsorbs everyfault,abody'strueinstruction: thebotchedcolonandmissingperiod, the“terminallydisorganized Appendix”-: Ourproblemsplump theircalfandmoon,theirdimpled pedimentalhaunchesthat waggleuptheschoolhousestairs, thesesimplemenofHobbes,swimmingagainst astudentwhaleherdofRousseau— Insummer,teachersmoonlight ascustomsinspectors…credulous, starvedforhumanhistories,theyswallow cockandbulltales,andletthrough thesatchelfulsofdrugs thatlaterdimtheirstudents— Tonight,olderthantheyearbookimages gapingbackatus,wecomposeourselves insleep,walkingtheerrorofourways amidstthesmiling,stillhandsome schoolmastersofouryouth,nowvoidedofus. Knowledgesettlesbacklikedust insidethemouth,bluedustofberries bynight,bleachingatdawn tofinechalk,orash. —DavidGewanter “CLOSECOVERBEFORESTRIKING” -AcmeMatches Body Text 9.Culture_2.qxd:MA 2007 2/10/08 3:20 PM Page 79 ...