Reading the News in America, and: My Dead Friend

Reading the News in America

I

Thinking it feels so muchlike the world of the thirties our parents describedand we have read about

when fascism knew what it wanted and descendedover Europe like a light snowthat becomes a blizzard

or like volcano ash before it eruptseveryone saw it but nobody could stop itor not enough people wished to stop it

and nature took its course

II

I am like one of those sheep in the hymnsheep may safely grazeor a lamb in the psalm the lord is my shepherd

when the wolves come growling from the woodsof anger and hunger I am not preparedI have no idea what to do

I would have been trundled to the campsso easily so without putting upa fight, that's right

I am among the cows trotting farting pissing shittingcrowded bellowing towardthe narrow gate

the metal head restraint the stink up aheadlike a river and after thatthe stun gun the blade the steel hook the axes

finally the plastic

My Dead Friend

My dead friend used to saywhen she reached menopausethe swamp cleared from her mind

the sun shone brightlyfor the first time since girlhoodshe could think clearly

Things were outlined as if in lightsa dog was a dog and a manwas only a man

*

Lain in the armsof Eros you relax you bluryou have no will of your own

almost anythingcan make you tingle with delightmusic art nature kisses touch

the wetness the throbbingevery glance a sortof soft bullet she said

*

Now when I look at my bodyunder the spell of gravityI have to laugh

Oh my the way we all lined uplike a fleet of taxis at a red lightjust waiting and racing our motors

what a joke sex is but without itthere would be no childrenno human glue

*

Oh my god what a foolI made of myselfall those years

well we all didwe were like those lab micethat will step on the pedal

that gives them those thrillsnot eating not stoppinguntil they die