--- M A R E K   L U G O W S K I

a north dakota poem




small warm and squishy
not the market-bought

lasted past minot north dakota

land-huddling airborne death
sitting bulls -- gray gaggle
parked to kill -- in herringbone
runwayed long -- looped in razor-wire
oblique to guard towers

ancient fossil fish

deep in the shiny golden heart of amber america
home of the brave we've
already paid for this -- defending --

open skies open land open road and by
the north atlantic treaty specifically

the french and indian girl who sold me
ontario

her fat mother fat aunt wore polyester

lasted past the vaguely sioux-mouthed
warm and comely ranger blonde
border patrol's gift of red-and-white pin
in her olive cotton blouse
signing me into the icelandic state park after dark

lasted past the woman who brought two teen daughters
from grand forks they were my laughing my camping
my neighbors
next day softly recounting on the curb
home mud red river water

past lake sakakawea by any other name
the golden-grassed silver-blued missouri
wet-eyed from the northern hilltop
this would be belden -- south of stanley

past the indian college alternative radio
of new town 

back in the blueberries:  on a hot ontario day
a dark and tan shiny shy
black of ponytail french and indian girl
the kind they fought the 49th-parallel wars about

when claimed by hollywood she will play lois lane

back here:  bluffs rocks ponds -- williston lies ahead
a sea of going to the sun -- shining blade on shining

the french and indian girl girlfalls
west of kenora east of winnipeg

the blueberry girl of the trees is
the blueberry girl of the bushes
is selling forest by the pot is
watching t.v. now is probably

oblivious to the blades of sweetgrass is
oblivious to smudging
and she too is

wearing plastic