An Afternoon in Summer (1998)
Wind in the (no, not willows, kiddies) pines-
as in
"lonesome," as in "pining for"-darkness
pooling around
your feet (last exit
from Kosovo
[Cambodia, Rwanda,
Zaire]). Down the
road, the familiar sounds
of lawnmowers,
chainsaws, sirens. Hey,
where's this bus
taking us to, cowboy?
Straight to the
emergency room, Madame
(or Sir). Just
lie back on the gurney, now,
and relax. The
Fixer (chaplain, surgeon, alternative
medico) will be
in to see you
shortly. Don't
worry your pretty little head
(etc.) about the
noisy (get it?)
majority. After
all, silence
is just around
the corner (bend in the road, stockade
fence). Notice
the sunlight, though, glinting off
each barrel,
blade, and poniard. Hear
the bright sounds
metal makes, beside you,
as you walk, in
forests where pine needles
soften the boar's
tread, and pictures of the wedding show
faces of the
dead, all set about with flowers.