Recitative, Washington D.C. Captive Nations Rally July 1-2, 1983

reciting the names of those who lost
we lingered in the dewy grass
concerned with paper tombs

the paper angels
commemorative
recitatives on the midnight air

and they are with us everywhere
because not many remember.
reciting the names of those who lost

defiant just in being there
in the day to day
when what we can barely

allow ourselves to read occurred.
let the names be heard;
let none be added to them.

mary angela douglas august 2 2016