April 25-May 1, 2005: Cyndy Krey and Eileen Frazier

Cyndy Krey and Eileen Frazier

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Haiku hand quilted– from quarter inch seams, flying geese appear local church art show– birch bark and feather spirit dolls eight hundred dollars on the phone all night daughter and boyfriend argue — how long can it last? birthday cake fifteen candles — driving is next News Red Lake, Minnesota.  Women, children, a grandfather blown away.  At the high school the boy made eye contact and aimed at their faces through the window.  Shards of teeth and glass.  Nine dead.  One of them a fifteen-year-old father raising an infant son by himself.  Two best friends still in ICU.  Five others listed in fair condition No one believed he was “for real ”  They say he acted alone.  Neo-nazi.  Wanna-be goth.  Just another teenager.  In the end, he aimed the gun at himself and pulled the trigger. Red Lake massacre cheek bones, eye sockets torn away– yesterday’s news

Winter on Lower Wacker throw-away humans lay hidden under the el train urine-soaked gutters American streets thread-bare blankets shroud blank eyes broken faces breathless bodies old booze seeps moth-eaten dignity clammy skin rotten teeth collapsable cardboard house glad bags of lost dreams ragged woolen caps tattered hooded sweats gray skies dirty melting snow battered souls wait on cold cement black charred corpse on the road I watch tv and talk politics stranger at the door breaks a window it’s my son cars rage by house falls down I listen for birds lone raindrop on white lily splashes my face chinese homeless couple push wooden wheelbarrow smile for the camera vietnamese bikers wear face scarves and conincal hats crammed ho chi minh streets asian elephant curtsies for her food