Common knowledge

by EVELYN SPEAR

Common knowledge is blue clay 
brick pulled from the earth building
a city we can love together 
The others never had to suffer
changing titles, archetypes 
and blackmail Underground 
cloistered city, light flashes red A 
bicycle chained to the overpass 
looks down instead 
overlooks, gables on and off like 
a school of fish Architectural 
intercessor stuck between 
man and the divine Circling 
the Loop like a monastery 
originated the origins of the origins 
of repetition Mortared brick revival 
knowledge moves skyward against 
the coffered union Bridled the 
horses in your mouth 
speaking used knowledge 
Familiar because of the color pink 
When is a fish like a building? 
Both are gutted for convenience 
sometimes for envy 
Cut to bleed Clay to weep until dry 
Scavenge a wall and harvest the roe 
Pulling from the earth or the sea 
either method makes good on our 
desire to mimic the sun If there is 
any brick left build across the water

Evelyn Spear is a multimedia artist and poet. She is from the Pacific Northwest but fell in love with Chicago and has been hooked ever since.

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Photographs by Ren Ventura

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"Carmen Lets Go" story by Taylor Thornburg