Episode #170 america, MINE - Sasha Banks

Close Talking: A Poetry Podcast

Connor and Jack discuss Sasha Banks' poem, america, MINE from her collection of the same name. They start by examining some of the poem's formal elements like its lack of traditional punctuation, and quickly jump to big themes like how the idea of vengeance is transformed in the poem and the contested symbol of the American flag is used. Read the full poem below, or here: http://thecollagist.com/the-collagist/2016/8/27/america-mine.html america, MINE By: Sasha Banks the spit upon this/country's flag is mine and/I do/not weep at it/consider the twisted shape of grief about/the mouth upon learning the beast/under the bed has always been your country/careful, citizen/this nation will name you/daughter/while its tongue/sucks the muscle from every dark body/you have loved to the edge of this/vanished second/I let the rage be/like water/this time/drinking and drinking until/my darkness marries/my eyes to blindness/and I am/led by the ghosts still/awake/in the soil/still/thirsty from/below/the fear/is under my heal/now/there are multitudes/in my third rib and/we are not/asking anymore/do you see us now/this is the last kindness/we will have your sweat/and dress you in your own/curses/oh country/what I mean to say/is/all the living after/this/will be the vengeance. Find us on Facebook at: facebook.com/closetalking Find us on Twitter at: twitter.com/closetalking Find us on Instagram: @closetalkingpoetry Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCCSpjZcN1hIsG4aDrT3ouw You can always send us an e-mail with thoughts on this or any of our previous podcasts, as well as suggestions for future shows, at [e-mail].