136.
we arrive at the courthouse
my thighs & I
judge is already there
waiting for us
so he can be announced
& stood up for
we arrive, my thighs & I
judge with his red eyes glinting
i can’t yet tell whether he remembers
where we were last night
we arrive, my thighs & I
the courthouse is awash in excitement
the evidence is apparent
the collar of a priest
a rabid dog
a fan
we’re late, my thighs & I
late because you you said
we were only 8 minutes to squamish
& you know it took a lot longer than that
137.
the jury, all bespectacled
the jury of my peers
the peers of my thighs
the jury to decide our fate
finally
silence in the court
we stand there, my thighs & I
& await pronouncement
from a judge who’s eyes glint
with something
that may be a memory
138.
the gavel
a rabid dog
a fan
the collar of a priest
a sweaty palm
a smirk
a quiver
we won’t be going back home
if we’re pronounced guilty today
139.
my thighs & I are accused
of adjusting the truth
adjusting the truth?
yes, adjusting the truth
to fit the time we needed
to get to squamish
(you know exactly what i mean
you said it would take 8 minutes
& we were late)
& now we stand convicted
for this
but adjusting the truth
is no lie
the lie may be a fiction
but fiction is no lie
140.
she’s on her knees
as if caught in the grip of religion
muttering, muttering
a tulip sprouts from her head
the way it did last tuesday
she’s on her knees again
like she’s
in the presence of a mighty one
her hands over her face
you can’t hear if she she repeats
amen, amen, amen
on her knees
as if her legs have given out
& the lord won’t forgive her
as if he ever has
131.
Juliane Okot Bitek 