Laura Stevenson
Every Tense
It's too bright out, the heat
Dries my eyes out and we
We turn over
We turn over like a wheel
No one stays here besides
Devils and rockscalers, and they
They know better
They are gonna disappear
But we'll be here
We will be here
Under the rough that grows itself outward
Toward the four corners of the earth, not downward
There is no water under the gravel
There are no wet-throated travelers
And we turn over
We turn over like a wheel
Under the traps of scavengers, bat your eyes
And you are wrapped up in them
Kicking of limbs and wriggling endlessly won't set you free
You are a tumbleweed, a jumble of feeble parts
Can you even see in the dark?
You're carrying all that you own
Carrying all that you own
And on and on and we turn over
We turn over like a wheel
We turn over
We turn over like a wheel