Week 25: Rodrigo Toscano
Layover in America
“Pray till something happens”
her shirt exclaims loudly.
In this part of the country
they ask you, not if
You go to church, but which one
and if you don’t, then
Come on over to our church
it’s a good church.
Even in airports
you’ll run into a chapel.
I’ve never actually seen
anyone in those rooms.
I imagine it’s quieter in there
than it is out here.
Why not declare
the entire airport a chapel?
People say, “let’s pray
in silence” rather loudly.
Can anyone propose such silence
by non-silence?
If god speaks “silently”
is that silence too much?
If god speaks loudly
then what’s the deal with silence?
Prayer speaks loudly
for those that pray silently.
People pray hoping something
will happen loudly.
Rodrigo Toscano is a poet and essayist based in New Orleans. He is the author of ten books of poetry. His latest book is The Charm & The Dread (Fence Books, 2022). His Collapsible Poetics Theater was a National Poetry Series selection) His poetry has appeared in over 20 anthologies, including Best American Poetry and Best American Experimental Poetry (BAX). Toscano has received a New York State Fellowship in Poetry.
He won the Edwin Markham 2019 prize for poetry.