pieces of tree
fell around me
we went to evening
and saw nadya standing there
we did not know that she
had already distressed
everything we wanted
and protected
that she had already given up
that things like love and home
and distances
would remain forever
clear to her
we did not know these tings
when we went to the evening
and saw nadya pulling there
beneath the light post
and we extended our hand
in signal knowing
the time was there
when all we treasured
should have occurred
that the revolution
unfinished then
would hence be finished
nadya
dreamt
had once dreamt of
a freedom
where pain was no longer an
enigma
but that when it went through
like from our fingers to
her hand
and she to go the farmer
and the worker
and tell them we were ready
that we had begun
she left us
sweeping like a dancer
from despair to dream
to heart
nadya
she closed her eyes
so now today
no longer looking at distances
no longer dreaming of love and home
these things that will never be there
we sitting here
in the white man’s jail
in the white man’s school
we appraise nothing
we watch the march outside us
we watch the new citizens go
the twilight’s error slanting
past us beams mistraught
continuous now
we see them and
and
nadya
she pregnant now
she extends motions
to no one no more
they said
tomorrow
we will die
the scaffold
long and tall
and human
and the taxi driver
with his gruff smile
passing through
he did not see us
up here
the 24th floor
this concrete edifice
all the children
and sundays too
and ways
of taking no
recompense
all the last ones
all the missives
snowing with
iron laughter
nadya