go away from it



look up:



the sky's a grey liquescent web



the wayback sun

hosts its white

diamond party

above the clouds



we might as well be underwater down here



the sun's a pale yellow

Jupiter's mote



I just can't

think what to say



empty, inert,

slouched at the kitchen table



only the trusting way

the dog lays curled

at my feet

belies what's opaque here



it's hard to reconcile

all the world's insanity

hard to feel perky

and play along



with all the chattering Sunday humanity

channelling boredom, road rage,

child care issues, heartfelt concerns,

alcoholism, depravity,

childlike faith, smugness,

righteousness, fear



riding the red petroleum tide

toward shopping malls, auto-miles,

churches, breakfast spots,

video stores, jails,

movie theaters, sports bars,



massive retail outlets

everywhere

dedicated

to home improvement



Ours is an info-mercial age

of decency, honor, integrity...

good, humble folks...

loving other folks...

the way they themselves

would like to be loved

under Almighty God...and

thank God for



god, what bullshit



if the church shows

never seemed so

blantantly evil when I was a kid

maybe they weren't



Wisdom counsels:

take the long view.



What if it's already been taken?

From us?



It's cold

it's freezing,

what a winter,

it's



way too early

to drink, laugh

fight

or forget



so here we sit

again

waiting, waiting,

all the bus stations and bars,

cigarettes and sidewalks,

coffee breaks,

classrooms and minor calamities

all here,

pressing like a caul,

thier alien grey meat

gloving all

in inertia



what a wreck it is

realizing:



it is possible



to live and breathe

underwater