Wood, 94” x 12”

CHAIN TOTEM 

By David Frankel

The chains climb high – to what?  By what?  Their links

Don’t flower, just accumulate; we splice,

Continue splicing – eyes that do not blink,

That stare through empty openings – once; twice;

It could go on forever but it stops.

The way we stop.  We think that we’re our own,

But from a distance we – the form will lop

Off any portion with a face.  We’re prone

To see our own importance, but the ones

Who pass us by see through us, see our blanks.

Let us just be vertical: we’ll run

Away from faces.  Let us just give thanks

For what gives structure.  If it’s tall enough we’ll kneel.

We’ll pray for what the upright can reveal.