Joshua Keiter

That song was in my head
all day or almost

the span of time 
most arguments are about

deeply rooted in history
hadn’t even happened yet

people back then thought 
songs could change minds

or at least not lie
to pack the court 

with predetermined opinions
that set back the clock

settled law just something 
to set aside as the music fades

still no one knows
how the shooting started

smoke obscures its own rising 
how many more

Seeing a picture of barricades
surrounding the building 
where decisions have been leaked
that would overturn the settled law
of five decades I can only hope
we might raise a child ready
to run to those barricades 
to speak their mind I also wish
we didn’t need to

Spent part of the post 
nap part of the day
putting up a light fixture 
and mirror because the one
that was left in this house
fell down again last week
because the wall could not 
support all the weight it took
to hold up that hardware 
and reflection so I hung
slightly lighter ones instead