dear descendant
of the dis
appeared you ascend
the pillar
of your own air
spin & span
whole abysses
with lines
translating there
to here & here
to where
wind winds
in dry wadis
hoists sea
in handful
after invisible
handful
isdoud now
your e-mail address
& digital image
of branches
through windows
within school ruins
a refugee points
with his cane
to what he
only can see
you argue against
the argument
against your
self you
yourself make
& home in
kiss my blind
eyes clear
close keyholes
with opening
homeland you
cradle in vowels
what was not
never yours
I’ll hold it here
till you return
Copyright © 2019 Philip Metres. This poem originally appeared in Kenyon Review, January/February 2019. Used with permission of the author.