Consider the isthmus

for Carlos Ruiz

Consider the isthmus: A narrow, tenuous connector
of giant continents. Overlooked at first, over time
critical, inevitably a flashpoint of commerce, control, war,
and malarially bad craziness.

Its cure is a young man forced into a position of trust prematurely
out of violence or stupidity. At once he is valorized and not thought much of.
He begins to dig in the dirt, using a plan to seek his own level
connecting epochs of tears,
using graft or larceny, bits of luck at hand on the ground.

Panama's son was born to make Teddy look ridiculous
with an inner dignity transcending enthusiasms.

Somehow he winds up holding the ball.