Tuesday, and after: 2004

     9/25 this is exactly what I mean when I say that pornography is violence

Abu Ghraib
Abu Ghraib
violent pornography
pornographic violence
Postcards of lynchings, once sent north
to show the away-family
how a good time was had
by all,
now become electronic files
to the same people
for the same reasons.

Abu Ghraib
Abu Ghraib

“Surely U.S. citizens will finally rise up against this war, now,” a friend says,
giving me my first deep, hard laugh
since the digital horrors flashed into the news.

“Like U.S. citizens have ever given a damn
about powerless people
tortured and terrorized
and fucked
and photographed?” I countered
and argued her into agreement citing
historical episode after historical episode
leaving only one unspoken—

how I know
no one
will be punished,
no one who matters
will give
a damn.