Coup Haikus

On the Eve of "No Kings Day" demonstrations around the country

John Martin, Belshazzar's Feast, 1821, half-size sketch held by the Yale Center for British Art

Welcome back to Emily Writes Back, the newsletter for brilliant people by Emily Sanders Hopkins.

It’s in Our Nature to Be Free

We just months ago
said "This is a free country."
Long gravel roads bend.  

You say there's no kings.
I add: no rulers either.
Sun patch in holler. 

In Mexico, dogs
will nap in packs by fountains,
church bells in the shade.

In West Virginia
Rhododendron crowd the hills.
Water tower stands. 

Rose bushes leaning
up against an empty house,
clock ticks down the hall. 

Now thunder's coming.
There's no stopping the weather. 
I'm surprised they tried. 

Born free, born naked.
In a downpour, trees tremble
raindrops bounce off leaves.

The forest is loud.
Foxes run low. Hawks shelter. 
Storms last how they last.