Art Before Rainfall
for J.S.

do not resist
being translated into art

haven’t we, through slavery
been translated

I promise, my translation
will not be as painful as that

just a little more painful
to be made a poem of
than to be photographed

less painful though
than having an elephant,
alligator or butterfly
tattooed upon your
ass


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2008
7:28 a.m. 08.01.08