On the hottest day of the hottest month of the hottest year of
The hottest decade of the hottest century on record
I told you something
To satisfy you
And reinforce the fabric of our community
But it is too hot
The waters are too high
There are inevitable circumstances
That can't be avoided
The ship is lost
There are no rafts
There are no life preservers
Regulation fails us
We can't give up the ship
For there is no other
The waters churn and froth with misfortune
The air turns to salt
Time's crashing halt
The trumpet's call
Names sealed in eternity's stone envelope
There must be a girl with a gun somewhere --
Maybe she'll save me, too
Or at least take me with her
But maybe she is fickle and has a heart made of cement
--
Emerging from intersecting social, environmental and physical catastrophe, John Winfield Hoppin is an artist and poet living and working in San Leandro, California. In 2001, he received his bachelor's degree from the California College of Arts and Crafts in Film, Video and Performance. He has multiple sclerosis and in 2016 created the What’s The Matter With Me? Podcast to find support and explore disability theory. Chernobyl happened on his seventh birthday. he/him