The Rohingya at Olympic and Hauser

By Shaun T. Griffin

for Cody and Suzette

Trying to paint in the dust
of sirens, a burnished Mexican
man sprays bougainvillea
flowers from the patio.

How does the union occur—
this mayhem of art and exhaust?
in the backyard of my son’s
beloved, who sits in her room

typing notes for research
few will ever believe.  A light
breeze surrenders to the
parchment.  The colors linger

to explain:  “Not what you see
but when,” and I catalogue
the middling brush
that helped to carve a face

four thousand miles from here,
his family on a raft of bamboo,
the Buddhist river they defy—
to float from the hand of God.

Shaun Griffin is a poet and activist who lives in Virginia City, Nevada with his wife, Debby. Photo courtesy of Shaun Griffin.

Nevada Humanities celebrates National Poetry Month in April by featuring poems from some Nevada poets.