In Kiev

Estill Polloc In Kiev

In Kiev they eat concrete sniper fire flags They knead rubble this bread they say we also eat we

have chained ourselves to our dead Yulia Tymoshenko in her wheelchair in prison asks the crows to speak for her she has learned crow language in her defilement where justice bleeds out it is crows she takes as emissaries

they gather overhead where the streets of Kiev are devoured Yulia Tymoshenko says to them it is time the president has fled the president whose heart is vipers now in the east looks for a compass someone has stolen his compass the special one Putin gave him Tymoshenko whispers to the crows say to my countrymen they must eat the president’s linen napkins his best napkins twisted in swan shapes say to them the golden bath the gilt framed selfie the bullion weight of bullshit the palace itself must be devoured say also to my daughter Yevgenia shield maiden of these times there are letters to be written in the blood of our heroes folded in tear gas & a hungry future between the dungeon & power the path a blade’s edge