OCCUPATION

Before us,there were indigenous
Displacing Springs,bison,prairie life
Tribal,affiliative,factional,small
One degree of separation between us all
This was Tejas when pre-Mexican
Stephen F Austin brought 300 settlers in
This will be the place for an occupation
Settlement by water ,with hills and green
Building began on imported dreams
This is where your ancestors came in
Singular stories,in families and clan
Lone as the image of Texican
As Tejas fades from us/
we find ourselves displaced
Now new Californians in condominiums
Valet parking,credit card metering
Leander train against endless gridlocking
We find ourselves pre-occupied
Now all our stories are historical
World culture comes to merge with local
Myths arise by distance from the facts
We are twice occupied-by new and by ancients
Now backwards look Cassandras of our day
Who cannot afford to live here nor to move away
trapped in the Velvet Coffin,they regret
the way things are,were,will be ..and yet
they know this town as resilient.
It has not made its image yet
and they can resurrect a futuring
by every poem and songline they sing
Hence we meet,to make new myths each night
so little Austin might still yet shine bright!