airless poetry

it is, i know
the lack of poetry
which keeps me
breathing so shallowly

bbc crackles on waves of real
such language respect
such respect of the poetry
in each heart

this is diversity
not groups and bundles
applied identities
but the poetry
bubbling from souls

bubbles to shape
grow and crystal
make into the artifacts
revelations of the god
bubbling within

bubbles to pop
let out the air
flattened to stay
hidden and american
burst.

what they say they want from me
is more clarity
more explicitness
more specifics
that they can dismiss & ignore

but I tried that
and know
I am poetry
the voices of thousands
lilting and laughing
lumbering and lumping
effete and egalitarian
all that music in me
reduced to a few lines of text
all i can save.

my voice,
my voice,
my voice,
my voice

muffled to thuds
by the blanket of stigmata
placed by those who fear their own poetry
so long ago
bubbled to fearts.

my voice is hoarse
too many tries
now all that’s left
airless poetry

gasp, gasp,
exhale.