Friday, December 16, 2011

After "The Long Christmas Dinner"

A miniskirt with sequins, December horn of Orpheus
but no one is adored...

"Titanic's sister ship!," turquoise dress with rabbit fur
but no one is adored...

It's overdrafts, lost credit cards, and pre-processing fees
that warm the people's voices,
the jingling lust of Christmas
that puts the giggle in their stride
but no one is adored...

No birds of prey look longingly
just iron wings with ruby eyes.
Panhandlers cannot even see our souls.
Couples smile arm in arm
so glad to be away from each other just this once
but no one is adored...

Some fair exchange is bartered out
in all the brisk complaining,
some wisdom comes from blackenings of vodka
but no one is adored...

The only one invisible
who floats between the rising plumes of steam,
completely empty of the storefronts in his eyes,
looks up into the fat and glistening sky:
Adoration calm and endless fuels the night.