I
Let’s build a wall using
dumped steel from China,
radioactive waste from Japan,
dead journalists from Russia
and bankers from Iceland.
Let’s use Tokay bottles
from the Pineridge reservation.
Let’s use bleeding zombie eyes
from Bollywood.
Let’s use confederate flags.
Let’s all of us, unite in spirit,
and all that is noble inside,
and let us stand tall, on top
of our wall, when it is done,
and laugh until we die.
II
We’ll build our wall a block
at a time, using ivory.
Rhino horns. Coral reefs.
Refugees washed up.
Let’s build our wall
using child labor.
Let’s build our wall
out of red ties. Lipstick.
Vats of sperm whale sperm.
Let’s build this wall
on melting icebergs.
Let’s build it on sand,
for the sandman cometh.
Can you spare a tire?
III
Oh, great wall. We will
absolve ourselves in thee.
In thee, salvation lies.
In thy electronic curtain
of constant surveillance.
Wall made of hamburgers.
Using junked hearts.
The Mofo of all walls.
Riding shotgun on a hearse,
lost in the place of yetness.
Walled city on a hillbilly.
Eyeless dolls blinking.
Oh “great” wall of mirrors—
meet the fireflies and worms.
Jeffrey Cyphers Wright is a publisher, critic, eco-activist, and artist, but is best known as a poet. Spuyten Duyvil recently published his 12th book Triple Crown, Sonnets. Wright produces literary events in conjunction with his publication Live Mag!.
