memphis

… at the river i stand,

guide my feet, hold my hand

i was raised

on the shore

of lake erie

e is for escape

there are more s’es

in mississippi

than my mother had

sons

this river never knew

the kingdom of dahomey

the first s

begins in slavery

and ends in y

on the bluffs

of memphis

why are you here

the river wonders

northern born

looking across from buffalo

you look into canada toronto

is the name of the lights

burning at night

the bottom of memphis

drops into the nightmare

of a little girl’s fear

in fifteen minutes

they could be here

i could be there

mississippi

not the river the state

schwerner

and chaney

and goodman

medgar

schwerner

and chaney

and goodman

and medgar

my mother had one son

he died gently near lake erie

some rivers flow back

toward the beginning

i never learned to swim

will i float or drown

in this memphis

on the mississippi river

what is this southland

what has this to do with egypt

or dahomey

or with me

so many questions

northern born

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