It’s no work at all to destroy the past
once the thing is in motion
In the succession of handsomely carved valleys
many pieces of equipment used in mining
can be seen rusting in peace
Some sites of famous and important killings
are camps for recreational rafters now
Lying wasn’t easy but it stimulated the brain
like a chess problem
Lawmakers eloquently stated your priorities
positioning the sea as a natural rival
Who will curate the museum of your destruction?
The office has been allowed to remain vacant
Alongside strategic reserves of beauty
you may still come upon a group of enthusiasts
with all manner of fanciful kites
Elsbeth Pancrazi’s first collection, FULL BODY PLEASURE SUIT, was published by Tavern Books in the Wrolstad Contemporary Poetry Series in 2017. Pancrazi has been recognized for her writing as a Poets House Fellow and an artist-in-residence at Caldera Arts in Sisters, Oregon. Her poems have been featured in A Public Space, Best New Poets 2013, Sixth Finch, Salt Hill, and other journals.