The Eloquence of Distance

The Eloquence of Distance

 

Afternoon Outing

I walk through Carl Schurz Park

along the East River

on a warm winter day

that has the birds conflicted.

Some sparrows claim: ‘Spring is here’.

Others insist: ‘It’s still winter.’

I stop at the yak tree

and listen to the debate

that reminds me of Congress

though not as clamorous,

but stubbornly divided

and I can only wish

the bird brains would agree

and solve the problems

of birds and our nation.

 

 

The Good Life

The guy in the cell next door

keeps telling me that Allah

if I let him in my heart

will help me find peace.

He’s no cheap preacher

like I had growing up

and a decent, well-meaning guy,

weird to meet in prison,

but he just don’t understand

I’ve been bad too long

to become someone else.

I made a choice long ago

to live a life doing crime.

I’m doing time in prison

cause someone messed me up.

My girl will still be waiting,

my boys will still do business,

I’ll live the good live again.

If I go away a while

it’s not too much to pay

to get what some guys dream of.

 

 

Rapid Decline

When things go from bad to worse

what comes after worse?

It is burden enough

for the most hated nation

since the Roman Empire

to survive enemy countries,

but when we’re our own worst foes

it’s difficult to determine

how to preserve the future

of our innocent children

completely dependent

on unreliable adults.

 

 

Bitter End

I sit by my bedside

and look out the window

all day and part of the night.

It’s all I can do.

My few possessions on the bureau,

photos of a previous life

when I commanded armies

and men and women obeyed,

risked or gave their lives

in response to my orders.

 

I used to swagger

the corridors of power.

Presidents and Senators

listened to my advice.

But that was long ago.

Now I can’t even command

the aide who cleans my room.

I am forgotten.

 

I sit on the hard chair

as I painfully await

an obscure, ignored demise

that I would resolve today,

but I no longer have

my service weapon,

the only way an old soldier

can leave his last duty station

with a little dignity.

 

 

Uncivilized

There be monsters

in our confused land

who abduct children,

sexually abuse,

torture, murder them,

our most precious resource,

citizens of tomorrow

who would build our future.

 

We are so deluded

we treat the criminals

who violate our children

as if they were humans

with the same rights

as decent citizens

with fair trials,

legal sentences.

 

And we are so blind

we fool ourselves

into wrong thinking

that life in prison

is just punishment

for horrific crimes

beyond the imagining

of moral people.

 

And our system is content

delivering judgment

to vicious brutes

who will have libraries,

medical services,

other amenities

for the rest of their lives

at public expense.

 

So after we discover

the inconceivable anguish

inflicted on our children

we reward the beasts with comforts

that a sane society

would never tolerate

that should eliminate

enemies of humanity.