You can’t be an NDN person in today’s world

You can't be an NDN person in today's world

 

and write a nature poem. I swore to myself I would never write a nature

poem. Let's be clear, I hate nature — hate its guts

 

I say to my audience. There is something smaller I say to myself:

 

I don't hate nature at all. Places have thoughts — hills have backs that love

being stroked by our eyes. The river gobbles down its tract as a metaphor

but also abt its day. The bluffs purr when we put down blankets at the

downturn of the sun and laugh at a couple on a obvi OkCupid date

 

and even more stellar, the jellybean moon sugars at me. She flies and

beams and I breathe.

 

Fuck that. I recant. I slap myself.

 

Let's say I live in NYC. Let's say I was the first person in my family to

graduate college. Let's say UGH I like watching New Girl on Hulu.

 

This is the difference:

 

Some see objects in the Earth, where I see lungs. Sky mother falls thru

a hole, lands on a turtle.

 

Hole is my favorite band.

Bibliographical info

Tommy Pico, "You can't be an NDN in today's world" from Nature Poem. Copyright © 2017 by Tommy Pico. Reprinted by permission of the author.

Source: Nature Poem (Tin House Books, 2017)

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