← v5n1, Spring 2006
Poetry · Volume 5, Number 1

Requiem

Yes, it continues, Anna, tyranny, oppression,

Repression, recited legalisms, “This is not

A threat,” illegal trials, truncheons, the knout,

Worse, of course, much worse, if not here,

There, if not there, eventually here, you knew

Behind pig’s flat blank eye, look of stupid

Noncomprehension, pig’s brain always thinking

Of slop, the sty, act of betrayal, evil alliance,

“Executioner’s feet,” slaughter, of the innocent,

The dear, Mandelstam (), of the duped,

Babel (), Mayakovsky’s loud future

(), mass graves, lost masses,

Licked that satanic () arse yourself

To save son (), asked in prison line,

“Can you describe this?” you answered,

In devastation, , yes, must, will, did, can.