I
useful items
a study must
be made
of useful items
of the past
present
and
future
the Chippendales
the furniture
of Hepplewhite
the early
English
and the American
copiers
the religiosity of
the shakers and
the simplistic
style
wood
from trees
oak
sycamore
pine smooth
planed
sanded
stained
and shaped
long before
the age of steel
ships carrying
rum
slaves
the middle
passage
the pain
sufferings
and screams of
proud African
people being
stolen
and suffocated
on narrow
decks
the gold of
capital
was
being formed
the foundations
of empire
being
laid
the
foundations
of empire
being
made
II
Buildings
must be built
plantation houses
in the south
the wharfs in
Philadelphia
on the river
the row houses
churches and
meeting houses
of the Quakers
in Penn’s new
town
Trees are
consumed
and few cared
about
ecological
destruction
as i gaze
at the wooded
doors in my
apartment
the doors in
every
apartment
the doors in my
life that
open
silently
admitting new
avenues
and visions
upon my
weary
eyes
III
The British navy
United States navy
French navy
Spanish
galleons
the battle ships
of the past
whose thunderous
cannons brought
colonialism
and
subjugation
to the world
how many
birches
pines
ashes
are required
to assemble
and mend
them
IV
we and the living
plants
themselves
must not
forget the fruit
both strange
and real
that adorned
your branches
6/29/2021
