《A day in September》 Amy Siu

Today I clad gladly in black
to tread on murky grounds

A film-thin raincoat, a clear-cling hood
topped gravely with my boyish swim goggles
and an ‘envelope’ mask, a relic from the deadly past

I try to hold back streaming tears
and cap my billowy blood

But my legs fail me.

Sitting down I feel faint
fending off foamy pepper spray and stinging smoke
a little sad and surprised
that it’s not a solitary soul that they seek

Damn! I don’t even have a folding umbrella!