National Poetry Month Day 9: “Prophecy: After the Dam” by Camille Dungy

By

Prophecy: After the Dam

the floodplains do bloom_____ the horsetail die+++++ the wheat
its thousand thousand eyes eyeing a fat future _____nods and nods never fearing
the peasants plant potatoes plant turnips___ radish and carrot
even the mice leave the hovels and make camp in the fields
when an inland bird calls from the roof thatch the boatwright will turn from bowsprits
and train his son to cobble
only the bright-chested bird knows the end of this song
but he is winging over water and must not waste his breath to sing

Camille Dungy


Original poetry published by The Rumpus. More from this author →