Sunday, January 11, 2015

INK

by Alejandro Escudé


Cyprien @MonsieurDream


I draw 
a cartoon of a god.

The god encircled 
by wolves.

The wolves 
with the faces of politicians.

I am a politician
sitting at my desk.

I hold my gonads 
tight under it,

here comes the myrrh, 
here comes
the frankincense. 

Where to draw the line?

I keep it simple 
and I fry. I make 
it complicated 
and I am incarcerated. 

Where to draw the line?

I said what I said. 
I’d say it atop 
the Eiffel Tower, too. 

I’d scream it  
from within 
the Bridge of Sighs.

Orphan. 
Poor. 
Alone. 
God-crazy. 

Where to draw, 
what to draw,
how to draw it 

fairly, plainly, lovingly.

The blood in my body 
was not ink.


Alejandro Escudé published his first full-length collection of poems, My Earthbound Eye, in September 2013. He holds a master’s degree in creative writing from UC Davis and teaches high school English. Originally from Argentina, Alejandro lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.