pantoum: landing, 1976

dreaming the lives of the ancestors, you awake, justly terrified of this world: you could dance underwater and not get wet, you hear, but the pressure is drowning you: you’re awake, but just terrified of this world, where all solids are ice:underwater boogie, you hear, but the press sure is drowning you: the igbo were walking, not dancing: where all solids are ice,underwater boogie is good advice, because they’re quick to melt: the igbo were straight up walking, not dancing: and you’ve still got to get through this life: take my advice, quickly: they’re melting: you could dance underwater and not get wet: and you’ve got to, to get through this life still dreaming the lives of the ancestors