The Big Cats, Part XI

Tiger | Evgeny Turaev / Shutterstock

“The Big Cats” is 12-part poetry cycle written and read by Val Vinokur, and published weekly at Public Seminar. For more, read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, Part IX, and Part X.

THE BIG CATS

XI.

VOTIVE

November bonfires roast
the marrow of the lost
burn the shadows and the cost
take our bales and boils and ballots
vow with palms upon our bollocks
out of wood and out of words
we elect to cleave the herd
break the tiles out into fragments
burn our wishes—there be dragons
suffragium—give support
                                     shouting crashing
                                      glad report

(November 7, 2020)