restrictions—
hold the world in
jurisdiction
& tied up in loose ends of
my black, black pen
of life and love and
politics
and secret words
that go,
“hush,” in the
dark and the
places where
bad things are thought.

& yet thoughts they remain—memories of
revolution &
civil disobedience
forgotten as ties of
trades and promenades are
reunited (under brother’s
watchful eyes)

boundaries curve our
tongues, teach us
remorse and reverie
mental questions go
unanswered
for those too afraid to
wonder
how far limits
limitate
and conspiracies
can fabricate
us

society—
synonymous as conspiracy
we ratify &
reminisce
think we spin the
word with just our
fingertips (yellow in journalism—
cold)

quiet now,
can’t let them
know
or show
‘cause these crowds that you
longed to
belong to
could eat away our
rights
in a breath

(oh, that’s right—
they already did.)