for Stephen Vincent
sort of
the city spreads
no wings
this flat prairie cut
by river valley only
& I drive
a circle
from the southside to the north
down Groat Road
into the valley
& along to come up
to one northern street
numbered like most
in Edmonton
past billboards
strip malls stuck
in rows
97th to 137th
Northgate Mall
a huge space
to walk through
then back down & west
along a throughway
to 121st south
the city airport
all those steel
bleachers blue
sky crisscrossed
oh yeah what for
the first grand prix
in a few weeks
along 118th those
smaller faded stores
stripped & malled along
until the south turn
on 170th to The Biggest
Mall in the World
one more bookstore
all those books on sale
& back to the throughway
across the river
down & up
& into the green
trees housed
streets small
& neighbourhood
into which I slow
Douglas Barbour
Edmonton June 29 2005
Douglas Barbour
11655 - 72 Avenue NW
Edmonton Ab T6G 0B9
(780) 436 3320
-- bring lust into the library
or it is hell.
Lisa Robertson
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