bridges are for jumping off not falling

Stone Arch bridge from Mill City Museum observation deck, taken 5.26.07. The 35W Bridge (not seen in this photo, it's to the right) collapsed in Minneapolis on 8.1.07

Bridges are for jumping off not falling
by Jules Nyquist


a sestina falls
what would be those six words?
bridge
collapse
last
breath
last
phone call

e mail text are you okay?
canoes are in the river, helping
media descends on this little city
fucking politicians all out of town anyway
leave us alone, driving down university avenue in dinkytown for a haircut
I forget
the bridge, the traffic
bridges are for suicides
for John Berryman on Washington Avenue
or the girl who was released from the hospital ward long enough to get her keys
water her plants she says, pick up a few things instead she
locked her door, slid the keys under it and jumped off a bridge

I only have a 6th floor balcony
over the rail, who would find me dead on the pavement
in the courtyard?
who would they call you? who would they call?
you called me right away
that is a good sign

hundreds of bridges, thousands in a lifetime to go under
over and constantly do I notice the river? yes I crossed it six times this weekend
in the last two days is it only a paper suicide?
glad we didn't know anyone, but yes I do, almost

a co-worker matters
I dream of skyscrapers flooding
cars floating up to the 16th floor
and you were there almost under
telling me about it when you touch me
I ask you to say how you feel
you stopped at the coffeehouse and the cop
had cement dust on his shoes