by Mikhail Horowitz
Crossing the bridge, the
river’s brightness abides,
for the moment it takes
a Japanese car to span it,
outside of history. This,
despite the memento mori
of an oak leaf, brittle
as an absentee ballot,
affixed to the windshield
wiper. On the far side,
an already antique cluster
of campaign signs—losers all,
including the winners—is
buffeted by the wind. The
sugary maples fade with no
sense of defeat; the sumacs
redden, but not with any
shame. How deeply do I
wish that I and we
could say the same.
Mikhail Horowitz is a poet and performer who lives in the Hudson Valley. He and his performance partner, Gilles Malkine, recieved an award from Sullivan (County) Peace and Justice in 2005 for "furthering progressive causes through the arts."