by Julien Aklei

PAGE:

-Book One: The Ohio River-

1. .2. .3. .4. .5. .6. .7. .8. .9. .10. .11. .12. .13. .14. .15. .16. .17. .18. .19

8.

The Original Blue Vein

The original blue vein is the Ohio River,
protruding from the wrist of Kentucky
offering herself freely to the bloodthirsty
ghosts of Indiana.

Drink me, drink me, this river sings,
singing out the original invitation.

The people of Kentucky drink from her,
we eat the catfish from her muddy bottoms.
She makes us feel rolly-polly, squirming
happily in the hot sun on our backs.

The ghosts of Indiana hardly touch the grass,
they moan and roll in their sleep. Their women
are the envy of lustful men, but their happiness
is the envy of no one.

Drink me, drink me, this river sings to them.
She sings to them sweetly, as though they
are babies. She can't see their ugly faces.

She is the original blue vein.
Within her lies peace and salvation.

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