<div class="line">We step four feet onto pavement</div>
<div class="line">my wife &amp; I</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">confident in what we know</div>
<div class="line">will be</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">a good jog</div>
<div class="line">to air out whatever it is the robins sing—</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">With each breath</div>
<div class="line">the runner before us</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">turns</div>
<div class="line">torn</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">then retreats back</div>
<div class="line">in failure</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">the length</div>
<div class="line">of the sidewalk—</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">On our right</div>
<div class="line">a moose comes into frame</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">Maybe a yearling</div>
<div class="line">perhaps the same from May 15</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">abandoned almost instinctually</div>
<div class="line">by its mother</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">in preparation for her newborn—</div>
<div class="line">The moose has aged into tree trunk</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">a UPS delivery truck</div>
<div class="line">in fur</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">tall enough to raise its head</div>
<div class="line">from the ground</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">over the seven-foot wooden fence</div>
<div class="line">Who says <span style="font-style: italic;">Good fences make good neighbors? </span></div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">How I relish this</div>
<div class="line">Wish it became more</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">than a proverb</div>
<div class="line">applicable</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">in all situations</div>
<div class="line">But the truth is</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">what holds beautiful</div>
<div class="line">in one context</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">does not hold beautiful</div>
<div class="line">when misused</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">in another</div>
<div class="line">For example</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line"><span style="font-style: italic;">There are only a few bad apples</span></div>
<div class="line">for some</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">implies</div>
<div class="line">that if you purchase a bushel</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">identify the bad ones</div>
<div class="line">remove a few rotten Haralsons</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">there is no great loss</div>
<div class="line">In essence</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">the others may be salvaged—</div>
<div class="line">But what if the few bad apples were identifiably pilots</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">joked Chris Rock</div>
<div class="line">What if the airlines said</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line"><span style="font-style: italic;">We have a few “bad apples” </span></div>
<div class="line"><span style="font-style: italic;">pilots that like to crash into mountains— </span></div>
<div></div>
<div class="line"><span style="font-style: italic;">Please bear with us—? </span></div>
<div class="line">Would you</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">bear with them?</div>
<div class="line">See how the fence changes</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">See how the moose remains there</div>
<div class="line">across the street</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">like the only tree</div>
<div class="line">absent of flowers</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp; fruit</div>
<div class="line">See how its shade of tree trunk bears none—</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bad apples </span></div>
<div class="line">Who took you out of context?</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">Who bruised you</div>
<div class="line">into new proverb</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">when we know <span style="font-style: italic;">one bad apple spoils the bunch? </span></div>
<div class="line">Now see how the moose turns</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">to look at us</div>
<div class="line">&amp; we turn into statues</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">Now</div>
<div class="line">it no longer sees another woman</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">in her sunglasses</div>
<div class="line">gliding along its path</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp; my God</div>
<div class="line">it is such a beautiful day</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">We all should stay</div>
<div class="line">safe from such tragedy</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">to have our moment a while longer</div>
<div class="line">in the sun</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">like a branch of apple blossoms</div>
<div class="line">before descending red globes</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">In Alaska</div>
<div class="line">we call this June 4</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div class="line">Thursday</div>
<div></div>
<div class="body-text">Now / see / how everything / slows / down / after all the build-up: / the moose— / the woman—when all you want to hear / is / what happens / because you now have a picture / that is not unlike a passenger train / with joy-filled faces / who wave at the locals in each town / &amp; crossing / Each <span style="text-indent: -1em;">beautiful mile / peaceful / hands raised in solidarity / to a window— / &amp; see how I have said nothing of metaphor / outright / I have said nothing of police / nor their view from a riot-proof frame— / See how / this is the first time I mention / <span style="font-style: italic;">riot</span> / when I mention / <span style="font-style: italic;">police</span> / This is called / rhetoric— / </span></div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div class="line">the moose does not see the woman</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">on her bike</div>
<div class="line">as we see the woman</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">on her bike:</div>
<div class="line">a blissful train approaching</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">from the opposite end of the same track</div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">no one has to tell you</div>
<div class="line">who lives—</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div class="line">it is such a beautiful day</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div class="line">the sun is where it should be</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div class="line">the breeze is light</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div class="line">pleasant</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div class="line">I am trying to hold onto the moment</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">a while longer</div>
<div class="line">for the woman’s sake</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">but repetition is impending</div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">the ampersand is causing tension</div>
<div class="line">evoking a response</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">but even an emotional response</div>
<div class="line">is situational</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">because repetition</div>
<div class="line">is a rhetorical device</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div class="line">because this is a poem</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">it has the power to delay</div>
<div class="line">but not to build a fence</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">nor resolve the situation that will end</div>
<div class="line">in the body of the poem—</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">which means</div>
<div class="line">repetition does not forewarn in every situation—</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">which means</div>
<div class="line">if you look like the woman</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">you keep riding your bike</div>
<div class="line">toward danger</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">with your eyes</div>
<div class="line">on the interracial couple</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">If you are a moose</div>
<div class="line">you are still looking at the threat</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">for a positive ID</div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">if we yell</div>
<div class="line">MOOSE!</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">several times</div>
<div class="line">neither of the two will see the other</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">The moose will deem us <span style="font-style: italic;">threat</span></div>
<div class="line">The woman may think <span style="font-style: italic;">argument</span></div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">&amp;</div>
<div class="line">if she sees the moose</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">before it is too late</div>
<div class="line">she may turn around</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">In Alaska</div>
<div class="line">a moose attacks when it feels threatened</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">A bike rider rides their bike</div>
<div class="line">because it is summer</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">When you think of repetition</div>
<div class="line">what comes to mind?</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">In most communities</div>
<div class="line">if you look like me</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">innercity</div>
<div class="line">in contrast</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">to a picket fence</div>
<div class="line">the woman calls the police</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line"><span style="font-style: italic;">She calls the police </span></div>
<div class="line"><span style="font-style: italic;">She calls the police </span></div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">if she survives</div>
<div class="line">Perhaps half</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">of a whole couple</div>
<div class="line">runs</div>
<div></div>
<div class="line">       out of time</div>


Paper Visitors

Dear Universe

Survival Is a Matter of Perspective When

<p class="epil"><i>a cento</i></p>
<div class="line">In the clear light that confuses everything,</div>
<div class="line">a tree grows as one might have grown</div>
<div class="line">in the Garden of Eden.</div>
<div class="line">It started its wander like any tree in the world would:</div>
<div class="line">small, significant, having a purpose, a desire</div>
<div class="line">to bud leaves. The neighbors call it an elm—</div>
<div class="line">a Siberian elm because some could see into Russia.</div>
<div class="line">Perhaps in strain or collusion,</div>
<div class="line">but this is not the point.</div>
<div class="line"><i>This is the light of the mind, cold and planetary:</i></div>
<div class="line">the forest of buoyancy that suffered Alexander</div>
<div class="line">who from his true course turned</div>
<div class="line">the hands of this telling to a tree-pull on a hill</div>
<div class="line">overlooking the icy river, and now the greenhouse is dark,</div>
<div class="line">gone, and here must I remain as the storm-struck oak</div>
<div class="line">leaned closer to the house—I say this to be beautiful.</div>
<div class="line">It is not the chambers of the heart</div>
<div class="line">which hold the affairs, or the tree, but all we know of history.</div>
<div class="line">It is said they planted trees by the graves.</div>
<div class="line">In some narratives, the young girl throws poisoned peas out the window.</div>
<div class="line">In some narratives, there is no such window.</div>
<div> </div>
<figure id="attachment_31668" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31668" style="width: 1000px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://youtu.be/NHwQ2wnTMjg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-31668" src="https://admin.rattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/BallardC-FBs.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="537" srcset="https://admin.rattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/BallardC-FBs.jpg 1000w, https://admin.rattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/BallardC-FBs-600x322.jpg 600w, https://admin.rattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/BallardC-FBs-300x161.jpg 300w, https://admin.rattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/BallardC-FBs-768x412.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-31668" class="wp-caption-text">Chaun Ballard was the guest on episode #25 of the Rattlecast! <a href="https://youtu.be/NHwQ2wnTMjg">Click here</a> to tune in live at 9pm ET …</figcaption></figure><figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://admin.rattle.com/audio/BallardCountry.mp3"></audio></figure>

Seeking Purpose

A Conversation in Which We Seek to Baffle the Overlords

If You Were to Ask Me the State of My Country, I Would Say

<div class="line">we were married</div>
<div class="line5">to</div>
<div> </div>
<div class="line">concrete:</div>
<div class="line5">playgrounds, blacktops</div>
<div> </div>
<div class="line5">where seven days,</div>
<div class="line">nights</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="line5">a ball would drop</div>
<div class="line">and like that</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="line5">bodies would complete</div>
<div class="line">shadows</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="line5">and a game would be</div>
<div class="line">found</div><figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://admin.rattle.com/audio/BallardMidnight.mp3"></audio></figure>

Vanilla

Love Poem to My Wife, with Pigeons

Midnight Lazaruses

<div class="line">I stayed in late nights.</div>
<div class="line">I shot late night hoops.</div>
<div class="line">I perfected windmills</div>
<div class="line">and tomahawks.</div>
<div class="line">I let my knees burn holes</div>
<div class="line">in her mother’s carpet.</div>
<div class="line">I mixed Top Ramen</div>
<div class="line">with blood sausage, Jesus</div>
<div class="line">with mint juice.</div>
<div class="line">I developed foresight</div>
<div class="line">and bad omens, packed</div>
<div class="line">Juicy Fruit, a sixth sense.</div>
<div class="line">I avoided gaggles of geese,</div>
<div class="line">murders of crows,</div>
<div class="line">and uttered no language.</div>
<div class="line">I left when it was time</div>
<div class="line">to leave. I arrived too late.</div>
<div class="line">I prayed before I walked.</div>
<div class="line">I prayed before I prayed.</div>
<div class="line">I focused my gaze</div>
<div class="line">upon the ground.</div>
<div class="line">I never gazed too long.</div>
<div class="line">I honored my father and mother.</div>
<div class="line">I had a father and mother.</div>
<div class="line">I ran errands. I ran home.</div>
<div class="line">I completed chores.</div>
<div class="line">I didn’t shoot. I shot</div>
<div class="line">the breeze. I learned to clown</div>
<div class="line">and mean mug. I listened</div>
<div class="line">for rain. I listened for gun shots.</div>
<div class="line">I hoped to God they didn’t</div>
<div class="line">figure me out. I didn’t hang up</div>
<div class="line">the phone. I hung up the phone.</div>
<div class="line">She had a nice figure,</div>
<div class="line">so I figured her yours.</div>
<div class="line">I locked the storm door</div>
<div class="line">when there were no storms,</div>
<div class="line">and if someone knocked,</div>
<div class="line">I wasn’t quick to answer.</div>
<div class="line">I moved away. I moved back.</div>
<div class="line">I moved away again.</div>
<div class="line">I remembered what to forget.</div>
<div class="line">I wrote this poem.</div><figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio controls src="https://admin.rattle.com/audio/BallardSurvived.mp3"></audio></figure>

I Had a Window

Poets Respond

I Am Me

How I Survived

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January 3, 2016What Would You Say If You Were Tamir Rice & You Had Two Seconds—Chaun Ballard

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January 3, 2016What Would You Say If You Were Tamir Rice & You Had Two Seconds—Chaun Ballard

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Survival Is a Matter of Perspective When by Chaun Ballard

If You Were to Ask Me the State of My Country, I Would Say by Chaun Ballard

Midnight Lazaruses by Chaun Ballard

How I Survived by Chaun Ballard