The wounded city by DS Maolalai

the wounded wind, the wounded air

which howls around the branches

like a flute section of orchestra 

between buildings. outside 

flowers splatter, knocked down

by heavy raindrops, bright 

like wet blood spots 

sticking wetly

on cement. trams groan

unpleasant sounds 

as if somebody's shot 

a rhinoceros. blunder 

and move forward

through crashing growth

and bitter blackberry leaves.

bottles drop, abandoned 

prams fall over. car windows 

rot on pavements

into tiny 

shining squares.

DS Maolalai has been nominated eight times for Best of the Net and five times for the Pushcart Prize. His poetry has been released in two collections, "Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden" (Encircle Press, 2016) and "Sad Havoc Among the Birds" (Turas Press, 2019)