By Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes
Flags
Up here
earth is one body
Then comes the declaration
slashing breath
Sound of shells
splitting
flesh
spilling
blood
scratching imaginary lines
between grains of sand
I can’t salute
a swatch of fabric
separating
subjects
into objects
when everything
is stitched together
from the same spangled stars
Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes was born and raised in San Diego, California. He attended Herbert Hoover High School and went on to study Religion and Theology at the University of San Diego. His book “Intimate Geography” won the 2012 San Diego Book Award for Poetry. Ish, as he is known, has also written lyrics for German musicians Andrea Hörkens and Thomas Roderburg (Tender Art).
Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes was born and raised in San Diego, California. He attended Herbert Hoover High School and went on to study Religion and Theology at the University of San Diego. His book Intimate Geography, published by Ragged Sky Press, won the 2012 San Diego Book Award for Poetry. Ish, as he is known, has also written lyrics for German musicians Andrea Hörkens and Thomas Roderburg (Tender Art).
Latest posts by Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes (see all)
- Word’s Out | Geo-Poetic Spaces - December 14, 2018
- Political Love Affair | Geo-Poetic Spaces - December 7, 2018
- Deer Tracks | Geo-Poetic Spaces - November 30, 2018
great poem, Ish. I love the slow percussive rhythm you came up with in “sound of shells/splitting/flesh/spilling/blood”
the tearing, slashing, splitting metaphor for the flag is very powerful.
thanks for writing this.