The missile is a powerful poem,
black against the sky, arcing
over the earth, conquering nature,
beholden to none, DPRK generals
leaping in the photo, what glee!
Are they feeling the jubilation
of the self-made soul? We watch
the footage of the large projectile,
(a casing?) make its way along
cluster upon cluster of red flags.
What language does nature speak?
Whatever the case, the Pacific
has never been so small. Especially
in California, where the waves
are preternatural, neon-laden, dumb
as the clock inside a warhead
the size of Hannibal’s elephant.
READ MORE
California is already preparing for a North Korean nuclear attack [Foreign Policy]
Alejandro Escudé’s first book of poems, My Earthbound Eye, was published in September 2013. He holds a master’s degree in creative writing from UC Davis and teaches English. Originally from Argentina, Alejandro lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
