"A Shadow Over Westchester"

words
are born
free, yet everywhere

the
only emperor
is the emperor

gray
clouds march
across the ruins

gods,
feared, whatever
they might be

06 12 04

RONALD WILSON REAGAN ENTERS INTO HEAVEN

'A raw, snarling noodle' with his fake dyed hair
Revenge buoys telepath
'Insane anglo warlord' sans his wits quits here
Tape lets you beg, never
Deluded a mob vents its programmed moan
Revenge buoys telepath
He took & took & took--yet you'd still fain give
Tape lets you beg, never
So here's my kiss-off to the shame of this
Revenge buoys telepath
He pledged an age of gold & what we get is iron
Tape lets you beg, never
And "Republican" means never having to say you're sorry.

06 12 04

"A Dollar's Worth of Blood, Please

With the last memo checked: They will sign, success; with the phone put down upon the day's last call; then with the door locked at last,
Wait; think;
What should the final memo be?

SAY THE LAST WORD,
SAY THE LAST WORD ADDING ALL WE'VE MADE AND LOST,
SAY THE LAST WORD THAT WEIGHS THE TRIUMPH SEALED IN INK AGAINST THE DEBT PRESERVED IN STONE AND THE PROFIT LOCKED IN STEEL,

One final word that the doorman knows, too, and the lawyer, and the drunk,
That the clerk knows, too, sure of tomorrow's pleasant surprise,
And the stranger, who knows there is nothing on earth more costly than hope and nothing in all the world held one-half so cheap as life,

One final word that need never be changed,
One final word to prove there is a use for the hard-bought distrust and the hard-won skill,
One final word that stands above and beyond the never-ending weakness and the never-failing strength,

SAY THE LAST WORD, YOU LONG STRAIGHT STREETS,
SAY THE LAST WORD, YOU WISE GUY, DUMB GUY, SOFT GUY, RIGHT GUY, FALL GUY, TOUGH GUY,
SAY THE LAST WORD, YOU BLACK SKY ABOVE."

--Kenneth Fearing