WEBVTT

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Here's a poem that I must
dedicate to the city of Ajo.

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It's called "Inversion,"
although it did take place

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here, and where I was.

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I hear the story about Ajo
is, the governor came down

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to inspect complaints
from the school,

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that they were being smothered
underneath the smelter

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smokestack, which
is really about

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200 yards from the school.

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And the day he got
there was a nice windy

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day, with an updraft.

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And so it was just perfect.

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But the day the
day I was there, it

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was so bad that when you were
outside you couldn't talk.

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You had to go inside
the air conditioner

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and drink some water, before
your throat was anywhere

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near a position to make sounds.

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Just SO2.

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Anyway, "Inversion".

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I wish to leave a
note, a broken bottle,

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in the prison, a star
ghost for posterity,

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should the individual presume.

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Tonight, 30 miles
from any place,

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given the power of
copper syndicates,

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the odor of sulfur
dioxide was so strong,

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it was impossible to take
that one last breath.