Start where any good protection spell starts: a black candle to banish negativity, an amulet sachet of cloves cinnamon, peppercorns, and bay; agate, black tourmaline, or emeralds—though bloodstone works best in these complex situations. Repeat this: breath of gunpowder and light of my muzzle flash create an enchantment of protection and liberty. If lone wolves threaten in this place, fight water by water and fire by fire, steel sharpens steel. Recite an incantation of the names of hallowed places: Parkland, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Sutherland Springs, Umpqua Community College, Carthage nursing home, Stockton playground, Goleta and Edmond post offices, Jonesboro, Fort Lauderdale airport, Oak Creek Sikh temple, West Nickel Mines Amish School, Chattanooga, Charleston, Fort Hood, Aurora, Tucson, Virginia Tech, Newtown, Vegas, Pulse Columbine Include: all the thoughts and prayers you have on hand. Take four bullets: previously blessed by your Baptist pastor; place them at cardinal points— north south east west earth water air fire Most important: a concert ticket to get you in the door and on your hip the only thing that can stop a bad guy. Point it in the air and draw the boundaries of a circle north south east west earth water air fire iron repels evil chrome symbolizes pure will steel sharpens steel makes you free On your other hip: fix a tub of Morton’s to create a constellation of salt orbiting you wherever you go, tonight a concert, tomorrow school or your job or the grocery store, an ATM outside the bank, in your car at a red light, in the aisle of your local Target, at the McDonald’s, the airport baggage claim, a child’s birthday party, Thanksgiving dinner, city council meeting, Fourth of July parade, the post office, the car wash, the park, the zoo, the DMV, the bus stop, the head shop, the parking lot, the high school football Jamboree, night club, naval yard, courthouse, movie theater, public john, walking home with a hoodie on might as well keep magick in a holster everywhere you go. north south east west earth water aim fire Go ahead: throw in the severed head of a chicken—if you want—for extra potency. No one knows better than red-blooded you that violence is the best protection against violence and what is more American than living life like it’s the north south Wild West earth ready aim fire

Poets Resist is published by Glass Poetry Press.
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