eighteenth & vine
lifesize,
recursive replicas rise
beneath the resonance
of a muted trumpet
silenced
so long ago
between the firing
explosion
of a handgun
(or handguns as the violence
takes us by surprise
like innocent bystanders)
our mouths agape
our eyes wide
our hearts closed
as we pray
in refrains
of agonizing screams
for love agape
our mouths opened wide
with the full moon dance
of a summer blockbuster,
documentary
history weaves
around trellises
of reality
echoing