Not Cameroonians curled in the landing gear,
bound slaves of isms, to be picked off year
after year, homeland-torn and penni-
less for reasons of machete, too many
or too few. Everyone dreams of lolling
under fruit trees, Pilgrim breeches drying,
but such dreams mean money, highrise
-sized, where once the sun wouldn’t rise.
Cellphoned to their continents, Pilgrims
from whatever persecution, kill those turkeys in
want, want, want, and the landing gear drops.

Terese Svoboda’s fifth book of poetry, Weapons Grade, will be published by The University of Arkansas Press in 2009. Her fifth novel, Pirate Talk or Mermalade, will be published by Dzanc Books in 2010.

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