Poet D'mani Thomas reads his poem "The Police Station is on Fire."
the police station is on fire!?
yes.
fire.
like oil slick water / like an ignitable ocean / of possibilities in the midst of pendulums waving
in the air like groupies / like any flag when being staked in someone else’s landmass / like
epipen / like ambulance sirens look like candle flickers or a baby / wildfire ever since
the war on poverty became trendy because klaiming ku klux became a cyber bully’s
justifiable offense / fire / like don’t call for help yet / 911 is an uncomfortable snitch
/ fire / like in this country, poverty is its own catalyst / and molotovs can be made
at the liquor store / like this empire’s antique love song /
the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there,
so we set everything ablaze
again
D'mani Thomas is a horror movie enthusiast and writer from Oakland, California (Ohlone territory). He has received fellowships from The Watering Hole, Foglifter literary journal, Afro Urban Society, and UC Berkeley’s Art & Research Center. His work can be found in : The Auburn Avenue, The Shade Journal, The Ana, MARY: A Journal of New Writing, and elsewhere. His poem, “Survival Tactics” was shortlisted for the 2020 Penrose Poetry Prize. In 2021, they were nominated for a “ Best New Poets” and “Best of the NET” award. In their freetime, catch them thinking about the implications of horror movies, dancing, or wanting fries.