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Dead Reckoning III Lyrics by Yusef Komunyakaa

Poetry November 2017

2017

They work fingers to bone & borrow
smudged paper, then make promises
to family, unmerciful gods, the unborn.
Some eat a favorite meal three times
in a row. Others partake only a pinch
of soil before boarding half-broken boats
& rubber rafts — half of the young women
big with life inside them, flesh & blood
for daydreams of the Arabian nights,
as makeshift charts & constellations
work their way through war & rumors
of war. The smugglers count their loot.
Hard winds rattle gongs over sea salt
till the rusty engines die, & cries alert
mermaid sirens as pirated schooners
adrift under a mute sky rock to & fro,
& the fight goes out of the few alive.
Their loved ones & friends, lost folk
songs, mountains & valleys, all left
behind. Searchlights spot the dead
hugging the living, & draglines raise
only those who were braver than us.
The lucky ones stumble out of stupor,
tried by raging water beneath black
skies, listening to the albatross talk.
Credits
Yusef Komunyakaa

Yusef Komunyakaa

About “Dead Reckoning III” by Yusef Komunyakaa

Read the complete lyrics to "Dead Reckoning III" by Yusef Komunyakaa from the album "Poetry November 2017" in 2017. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Poetry, Non-Music, Literature.

"Dead Reckoning III" is performed by Yusef Komunyakaa. from the album "Poetry November 2017" in 2017 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Dead Reckoning III", explore more songs by Yusef Komunyakaa using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Dead Reckoning III" is credited to Yusef Komunyakaa. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Dead Reckoning III" appears on "Poetry November 2017" in 2017.

Visit the Yusef Komunyakaa artist page at /artist/yusef-komunyakaa for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.