C. D. Wright





          Poster, women’s prison:
          PARTS OF SPEECH FAIR
          INTERJECTION, A WORD THAT EXPRESSES STRONG FEELING
          UGH! WOW! OH!

                             His last word: Wow
That’s all he said, the warden told the camera.

Mitterand last dined on ortolans
          in the tradition of French kings
Some have crawfish with the warden; some dine on oxygen

In some prisons the last cigarette is no longer permitted
          0 exceptions                    Don’t ask

And eye for an eye            It says in Exodus
Whose eye?
An eye

Audible light        an assault

The perimeter fences lined with summer poinsettias

Neiman Marcus has begun its Christmas countdown

                           Poster, prison, greenhouse:
                           WE GUARANTEE OUR PLANTS TO GROW
                           OR DIE TRYING