Rodrigo Toscano

Rodrigo Toscano is a poet based in New Orleans. He is the author of twelve books of poetry. His latest books are WHITMAN. CANNONBALL. PUEBLA (Omnidawn, 2025, National Poetry Series finalist). The Cut Point(Counterpath, 2023), The Charm & The Dread (Fence, 2022). Forthcoming is Salvage Nation: 100 sonnets (Winter Editions, fall 2026). His Collapsible Poetics Theater was a 2008 National Poetry Series winner. His poetry has appeared in over 25 anthologies, including, Best American Poetry and Best American Experimental Poetry. Toscano received a New York State Fellowship in Poetry. He won the Edwin Markham 2019 prize for poetry. He works for the Labor Institute in conjunction with the United Steelworkers on educational projects that involve environmental and labor justice culture transformation. rodrigotoscano.com

Easy read of the poem in the image above:

Freak Flag

Something about femurs, and elections
And a pelvis bone, and debt bondage schemes
And a skull, and time management trackers.
What else? Yes, the billions for client states
And ten metacarpals, and stock buybacks.
But let these loose objects lie for a bit.
Notice thoughts ramble without a thinker
Every single word its own chronicler.
Then fly your freak flag. Pick up the pieces.
Build the body politic here and now.
Something about post-empire survival
The gold gloss on everything, chipping off.
Something about hardy minds holding fast
And high-tech oligarchs in cuffs and chains.