The Tongues Our Legends Lose
At first, narratives were spoken, on which all others stand. So we begin again with an offering to ghosts, with 'habitus' and 'costume.' We mark the evolution of legend and the tongues our legends lose.
You ask, "how will we save the stolen hours when only a particular dwelling, that of the field, remains?" We compare 'spine' and 'building,' trace the intersecting angles from signs to stairs we can't descend. We look for the shadows already here to lengthen.
You say, "it's more than 'in proximity,' more than 'near to know what here was.'" We listen to a silence that only refers to another luminosity, a compass based on ocean currents, an anchor to translate 'direction.'
To Grow Into Scar
'Reservoir' might mean 'to grow into scar.' 'Arms' never had the chance to mean 'cradling' what was braced inside you. 'Arrival' might only be 'a fossil of skin.' I pretend it rains here to say 'home', which now means 'a small procession of what's no longer promised.'
In this place, 'birds starve the veiled sun' might mean 'a fire failed to burn here.' What do we cross but 'language given to shield'?
The Exact Location of Touch
We cross with only these possessions and look for something familiar. Yet there are so many masks, so much belongs to a separation we can barely turn towards. Unlike the definitions we assume, we lose what objects mean.
"In time," you say, "we belong to what we lose." From afar, the exact location of touch remains undisclosed. You say, "no other skin awaits our return." Somewhere, beginnings persist that were never simply given, never simply taken.
"Maybe this," you say, "is more than 'lost cargo,' more than 'where light comes to breathe.'
Hot Metal Bridge invites you to immerse yourself in the captivating poetry of Craig Santos Perez. Each poem delves into themes of loss, identity, and the ephemeral nature of existence. Through evocative language and vivid imagery, Perez explores the evolution of legends and the tongues they lose along the way.
In "The Tongues Our Legends Lose," he ponders the preservation of stolen moments and the dwindling connection to the past. The shadows that loom, the silent compass guiding us, all contribute to a deeper understanding of our place in the world.
"To Grow Into Scar" reflects on the wounds we carry, both physical and emotional. The reservoirs of pain become a part of us, altering our perception of home and the promises it once held. The silence of birds starving the sun represents the absence of vital warmth and growth.
"The Exact Location of Touch" explores the fragmented nature of our experiences and the masks we wear to protect ourselves. We search for familiarity amidst separation and long for genuine connection. The poem hints at the transient nature of our existence, the impermanence of touch, and the yearning for a return that may never come.