Beside Dripping Glaciers

 

We slept beside dripping glaciers

people like us

We were never meant to be housed

contained, kept, petted, cleaned

We could only be gutted

You used us one time

and threw us out

people like us

 

We sprouted the wings of desire

by watching birds gain theirs

and waft away on the warm gust

We flew south, we flew west

nobody ever went east in recent memory

we moved north with the herd

and slept on the ground

beside dripping glaciers

and got wet with our enemy's blood

 

People like us never held a sickle

we never saw a pasture or a flock

The word for sheep had not been heard

or thought of or desired

When rivers rose, we left and fled

and never went backward

We never experienced an oven

Everything dripped blood around the fire

 

Cloth — who needed it?

Clothing, furs, rings, shoes?

These were for thieves, murderers

Politicians!

We were never forced to listen to one

our entire lives — think of it!

Because we were free

We were free at first light

and free at last