John Bonanni
November Ninth
What if by & by the rigbecame unhinged tramped
this boat rocks on the harbor
this run into rocks
November is a body
May the circle
be unbroken
the body is a face
a face which
doubles invisible there is
how you are & then
how the empowered sees you
this boat this leak
& how the power sees you
is a thing is yes, but
is taking our jobs is
a nice rack is yes, but not
call it marriage is this boat
is leaking call the harbor patrol
by & by
is She’s not even attractive
This ship is sinking is the harbor patrol
is I’ll fix everything don’t you worry little girl
is what lifeboat
is those blacks in the inner cities
is Did you see how much weight is my body
is you looking at me
& I can’t breathe
& neither should
John Bonanni lives on Cape Cod, MA, where he serves as editor for the Cape Cod Poetry Review. He is the recipient of a scholarship from the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown and a residency from AS220 in Providence, RI. His work has appeared in CutBank, Assaracus, Verse Daily, the Seattle Review, Hayden's Ferry Review, and Prairie Schooner.