how the land’s survived.

we are standing on the
       shadows of
ancient memories.
the land has been transformed,
but its energy remained,
trapping still
the spirits of those passed.
it’s how the land’s
       survived,
attempting to hold its
       essence intact.

we stand on the
       shoulders of
ancient fossils
compressed during centuries
on top of our dreams
all over our schemes.
the land has tried to
       keep herself together
against men that have
       gathered and
       plotted on
       plots of land
to sell her piece by piece.

we walk on the
       ashes
of “a dream
       deferred”
like “raisins in the sun,”
“outsiders” on our “house
       on mango st.”
the “fire next time”
       at 451 Fahrenheit.
a “catch 22”
for “the stranger”
in our “notes from the
       underground.”

we stand.
we fall.
the land has tried to keep herself together.
it’s how the planet has survived.
we stand.
we fall.
the land holds strong
       to the spirits
       of those passed.
it’s how its energy’s remained
from the fossilization
       of our bones.

02.22.09.