Epitaph

By Bryan Sentes

Rosemont Montreal September 2020

At the end of the cul-de-sac
on the side of a concrete traffic barrier
facing the urban garden
abutting the railroad overpass
in black spraypaint
 
Robert Langevin, 72 ans
mort de la covid à la prison
de Bordeaux. Mort comme un chien
en mai 2020 faut de soins

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A rough translation of the spraypainted epitaph might be: “Robert Langevin 72 [or 'aged 72' or '72 years old'] / died [or 'dead'] from Covid in Bordeaux / Prison. Died like a dog / in May 2020 unattended [or 'due to lack of care', faute de soins bureaucratic boilerplate]"; “faut” transcribes the error (or fault, faute) in the original graffiti.

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Ars Poetica: the eloquence of the vulgar tongue: “The top global stories that matter”

By Bryan Sentes

​Russian destruction of Borodyanka
             even “more horrific” than in Bucha,
oxytocin turns lions into lovecats,
one big step for the space economy.

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Photo credit: Jonathan Dewdney

​Bryan Sentes is the author of Grand Gnostic Central, Ladonian Magnitudes, March End Prill, and most recently the chapbook As on a Holiday. His work has received support from the Canada Council, Saskatchewan Arts Board, and the City of Munich. He is gainfully employed at Dawson College, Montreal.