— Ezekiel saw the wheel …

 

And if the man with the choke-hold pulls the standing man down

Why does he live and if the dead man is gone why does he rise and

Why is there a clicking sound the sound the soul makes when it leaves

Even though no one knows and if the woman stays why is she the

Crucible the fire why is she the voice and if the voice is never heard

Why does it resound for 9 generations and if it was a teen man with

A swagger why is he still prone and if the police was right and the court

Was in agreement and the governor spoke humble facing the masses why

Are they lost in the desert infinite and if looters broke the wall and split

The wine why are they still scorched with thirst and if we march

Why does the street break as we pass by why does it not offer us Here

Take my water and if all the laws are Freedom for you for me why do we

Not speak and if that tree behind you green with its last two limbs up

Swollen in blood why does it not suffer

 

why

does it

blossom torches

¤

 Juan Felipe Herrera is the United States Poet Laureate.