Briton among missing
Miami building collapse
citizen both British, U.S.
scores still missing
stories by the dozen
authorities confirm
12 floors fallen
mother
father
baby Patel
internationalize
America’s decay
(the world goes down with the flagship vessel)
search and rescue’s
underway
foreign minister’s regards
“truly tragic”
(as Florida always is,
North American’s errant dangler,
call it limp dick,
injected meth)
several pulled from the rubble
so far
Americans first
(America first!)
search and rescue
through the night
but red states hate brown skin
130 firefighters
can’t quench that tragedy.
About the Poem
The evolving tragedy of the condo building collapse in Miami has produced many heartbreaking stories. This one was captured from a UK newspaper writing about a missing family from the perspective of their British family members. Something about the split between how the UK and US must view each other layered over how the other states view Florida vs. how Florida must view foreign lands creates an interesting opportunity for commentary.
About the Author
Ethan Cunningham’s short works appear in print, on stage, and on-screen, but most recently in
Abstract Elephant, Ygdrasil, and New Plains Review. He is a daily newshound and deeply concerned about the state of world affairs.