Letter to the Local Police
Dear Sirs:
I have been enjoying the law and order of our
community throughout the past three months since
my wife and I, our two cats, and miscellaneous
photographs of the six grandchildren belonging to
our previous neighbors (with whom we were very
close) arrived in Saratoga Springs which is clearly
prospering under your custody
Indeed, until yesterday afternoon and despite my
vigilant casting about, I have been unable to discover
a single instance of reasons for public-spirited concern,
much less complaint
You may easily appreciate, then, how it is that
I write to your office, at this date, with utmost
regret for the lamentable circumstances that force
my hand
Speaking directly to the issue of the moment:
I have encountered a regular profusion of certain
unidentified roses, growing to no discernible purpose,
and according to no perceptible control, approximately
one quarter mile west of the Northway, on the southern
side
To be specific, there are practically thousands of
the aforementioned abiding in perpetual near riot
of wild behavior, indiscriminate coloring, and only
the Good Lord Himself can say what diverse soliciting
of promiscuous cross-fertilization
As I say, these roses, no matter what the apparent
background, training, tropistic tendencies, age,
or color, do not demonstrate the least inclination
toward categorization, specified allegiance, resolute
preference, consideration of the needs of others, or
any other minimal traits of decency
May I point out that I did not assiduously seek out
this colony, as it were, and that these certain
unidentified roses remain open to viewing even by
children, with or without suitable supervision
(My wife asks me to append a note as regards the
seasonal but nevertheless seriously licentious
phenomenon of honeysuckle under the moon that one may
apprehend at the corner of Nelson and Main
However, I have recommended that she undertake direct
correspondence with you, as regards this: yet
another civic disturbance in our midst)
I am confident that you will devise and pursue
appropriate legal response to the roses in question
If I may aid your efforts in this respect, please
do not hesitate to call me into consultation
Respectfully yours,
Manifesto of the Rubber Gloves
So I’m wearing brand new loud blue
Rubber gloves
because
I’m serious about I don’t wanna die
from
mainstream contamination
mainstream
poison water poisonous
like
statistical majorities
that represent
poison waters poisonous
like
neo-nazi perspectives
that reflect
the mainstream
poison waters
like
scapegoat policies
that distill
the mainstream
poison waters poisonous
like
the Congress and the Governor and the President
and the Supremely Clarence Retrograde Thomas
Court
of Separated and Unequal
and Proud about That
Last Resort
I’m wearing brand new loud blue
Rubber gloves
because
I’m serious about I don’t wanna die
from
mainstream contamination
mainstream
poison waters poisonous
like the F.B.I. and the A.T.F.
and the I.N.S. and Secret Service
Security Guards
with or without a cut on anybody’s finger
and a pointless
overblown Armed Force
afraid to fight
unless
it gets a not-a-single-cut-on-a-single-one-
of-your-fingers’ guarantee
backed by
a would-be
hero’s welcome
just for hiding the hell
out of trouble
when the point
might very well
be
“The trouble”
The 600,000 human beings already dead
anyway
in Bosnia
I’m wearing brand new loud blue
Rubber gloves
because
I’m serious about I don’t wanna die
from
mainstream contamination
poison waters poisonous
like
a serial killer
start anyplace
(next door!)
and slash and dismember
and move on
and on and kill more and more
a serial killer
absolutely
mainstream
tall and good
(looking)
nicely dressed
a dedicated
fast-traveling
serial killer
straight from the heart land oozing
mainstream
poison waters
a Republican (or Democrat)
a soft spoken young man
a believer in Christ Jesus
a serial killer
like
The Pilgrims
like
the early
serial killer
pioneers
beginning
with anybody indigenous
and then x y z
and then a b c
and always
beating up
and always
hunting down
the poor
and
the niggers
and
the kikes
and
the wetbacks
and
the chinks
and
the
faggots
and
the dykes
I’m serious about I don’t wanna die
from
mainstream
poison waters poisonous
at flood-tide heights
and depths
of programmatic
legislative
circular
self-righteous/ white
black/ Baptist/Vatican
or secular
or in-between
or accidental/ multi-ethnic
consecration
to my death!
I’m wearing brand new loud blue
Rubber gloves
because
I’m serious about I don’t wanna die
from
mainstream contamination
mainstream
poison waters poisonous
and swollen
all around me
and
as far as I can see
I’m serious
because
I don’t wanna die
I don’t wanna die
I don’t wanna die
Excerpted from The Essential June Jordan, by June Jordan, edited by Jan Heller Levi and Cristoph Keller. Copyright © June Jordan 2021. Reprinted with permission of Copper Canyon Press.
