We can’t say anything

by Victoria Chang — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 08:01:40 +0000

We can’t say anything need the numbers need
            the blue paper that represents green
      paper that represents the field of poplars bi-monthly
                  to buy things DVDs DVRs RVs numbers

calculators in our dreams IRAs press down on our
            401K roofs the click click click of numbers
      in our dreams not a bird pecking for bird seeds
                  but pecking for 401Ks even the birds

can’t remember when the sky wasn’t stippled green
            even my father who can’t remember much
      remembers there are passwords but he can’t
                  remember his passwords can’t get past

his words can’t figure out what the pass is for can’t
            access his accounts can’t remember
      ass-kissing for his large accounts can’t account
                  for himself can no longer count

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Today is the boss

by Victoria Chang — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 07:01:01 +0000

Today is the boss the boss is today this day shines

her white teeth the day is the boss
the boss gives us tokens today to take a bus
to a restaurant to bus her table she

breaks our plates our dirty plates break when thrown
I sit cross-legged on the floor to do pilates to
plot with my colleagues to glue the plates together again
up in the sky a bird keeps flying in

the shape of a cross the shadow of my body is a cross
it never leaves me it never helps me only at night
on my back we come together briefly the next day the boss
takes a bus and drives over us over our

plates again and again the boss pretends to glue us after
she breaks us we try to glue ourselves
Elmer’s allows us to emerge as a different person I have
a piece of someone else’s saucer as my heart

The post Today is the boss appeared first on Zócalo Public Square.

Zócalo Public SquareVictoria Chang – Zócalo Public Square

We can’t say anything

Today is the boss