Bird Watchers
Marilyn Buck
Francine, elegant, headwrapped
willowy firm on cinnamon legs
leans toward Nancy
frayed blonde rope of a woman
bleached on the back of Harleys
and crystal meth
two keen bird watchers
they chat
while feeding purloined delectables
to plump Canadian geese
contented vacationers
once the geese fly North or South
Francine and Nancy
no longer speak
Marilyn Buck was an Anti-Imperialist
political prisoner, who spent 25 years in prison for her anti-imperialist actions carried
out in support of national liberation, women's liberation, social and economic
justice. In 1985 she was captured and and faced 4 separate
court trials. She was charged with conspiracy to support and free PP/POWs
and to support the New Afrikan Independence struggle through expropriations.
In 1988 she was indicted for conspiracy to protest and alter government policies
through use of violence against government and military buildings and received
an additional 10 years for conspiracy to bomb the Capitol. While in prison she developed uterine cancer, which resisted treatment. Seriously ill, she was released on July 15, 2010. She died a couple of weeks later, on August 3.
This poem is also read by disability rights activist Jean Stewart on Marilyn's poetry CD Wild Poppies,
produced in 2004 by Freedom Archives and available from leftwingbooks.net - click here for more details.
