Jon Sands
DECODED
You / I
take / nurture
my / your
bag / blood
and / and
pour / fill
its / your
contents / emptiness
on / from
the / the
sidewalk / sky
If / When
I / I
wear / undress
my / your
hoodie / skin
it / it
is not / is
in / from
danger / safety
it / it
is not / is
in / from
solidarity / alienation
it / it
is / is not
showmanship / reality
The / A
Interviewer / God
asked / answered
if / when
I / I
studied / neglected
how / why
Buddy Holly / Little Richard
disarmed / provoked
all / one
black / white
audiences / emptiness
My \ Your
primary \ final
album \ silence
in \ on
middle \ infinite
school \ repeat
was \ is
Warren G’s \ Kenny G’s
Regulators \ lawlessness
“If / When
I / you
had / lose
a / the
son / moon
he’d / it
look / blinds
like / unlike
Trayvon” / anything
Our / Your
children / ancestors
will / won’t
be / be
responsible / forgiven
for / despite
the / any
debts / surplus
we / you
have not / have
paid / assumed
in / from
blood / myths
The / A
white / black
girl / boy
on / in
stage / reality
said / listened
she / he
prayed / knew
Trayvon / Trayvon
reached / left
for / despite
the / a
gun / prayer
—from Rattle #40, Summer 2013
__________
Jon Sands: “Audre Lorde’s poem ‘A Litany for Survival’: I believe in that.” (website)
