TEREZÍN


The world stands. Visitor, reader,
be quiet, learn to die. Lover of sleep,
learn to fall, into a small space with
a plaque on the wall saying: HERE . . . This place
this grassy ground where it swells
here against the wall. Was brought here.
And forty thousand more, one by one.

Sang, danced, acted here. Worked,
as people must. Killing work. Nobody
is disqualified from the duties compassion
exacts, nobody is privileged by this suffering
and the vastness of resource it sets in motion.
Vast Europe, breaking circuit at a small
garrison town the mountains in the distance

The mountains in the distance, breaking Europe
across a small child's arm. The small child left
a crayon drawing and what the drawing said was,
Agree to suffice, not to surpass, agree to be
the actual person, nothing else will break
the circuits of plunder. The drawing was of
two beds and a coat hanger.