In this city
the city of heaven
of Sirocco
you shall receive
a steady unyielding
stream of favors from
the lord.

presume your suffering
to be over your itinerant
life has begun we welcome
you to the caravan you
may mend the wheel for
a favor and the lord
your god shall grant it

you may enter —
we reject no one
save for those who
wish to keep others
in place inside those
who wish to settle our
bodies born to move
free as the salvific wind

to be calm is to die to
sit to stew is to sell
your magic seeds to
a necrotic landlord
our lord our god is no
figure of land or universe
but of body itself of

rustling skirts of polka dots

of stripes and shimmer and

shear and sweat and stubble

of sweet of mother and of

gentle gathering in the great

unknown

we welcome you to wear your clothes

or to shed them to sing with all the air

in your lungs or between breaths.

only do not settle. this city is the city

for those who refuse to be its dwellers

Gwendolyn Davison (she/her) is a sophomore in Columbia College majoring in history and concentrating in English. She enjoys baking, hula hooping, and writing in her free time.