first slaves to dutch new amsterdam in 1626.
eventually
pegleg peter stuyvesant sends 2,340 foot long wall
across nonexistent wall street.

everyone with an ear and a boat heads
across the waters to take a piece.
commence the spreading of disease.

someone takes over and then
someone takes over and then
someone takes over.

this place for the whites
becomes new york
as birthday present for
duke of york.
duke acts like it’s just one of many fabulous days.

lenape, canarsie, minetta indians gone
forever and ever and ever.

bewilderment sets in for following

couple hundred years.