Zachary Forrest y Salazar
Zachary Forrest y Salazar is a software engineer and American poet.
Philistine
The fronds from my skyduster are heavy.
Skyduster instead of Mexican fan palm tree—
why do we call it Mexican fan? I have
no clue the petiole is laced with spines
until the palm of my hand is pierced
through and I feel small poisons.
Leaves like a blade and violent.
Though the skyduster thorns
were never meant for me—the truth
is different from my belief—but still,
I want to burn its fronds to ash.
I love the fronds dusting the sky,
happy with their place in the sun.
I hate the ones which have fallen
to break a bush in my yard. Do you see
where my violence comes from?
These fronds are out to get me.
These fronds want to ruin my pretty lawn.
My pale hand declares them violent.
My whiteness creates defaults for itself—
puts violence in the thorns and the blades.
Finds violence in indigenous things.
I planted grass around a tree already planted.
I told the tree to give way to grass
like I was God.
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Image by Paul from Pexels
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