Two Mouths

What happens if I’m found guilty? I ask Clyde

before the deliberation

He taps his pen on his yellow notepad

as if beating out the rhythm to some rhyme

some party anthem for whenfor when

he wins this case

And I want so bad

to grab that pen and notepad

and draw me a victory

a whole scene with dancing shapes

and hard lines turned to joy

That’s not going to happen, he says

Umi said English requires two mouths to speak

and four ears to understand

Clyde spoke with two mouths

One for me and one for the court