pull

us
oh us
mashy mishy squishy us
stomped on this land hard
shook up the eyes and ears of
every human and every animal
charlemagne made us
southern franks with poofy ideas gave us a continent for free
northern franks with grey uniforms gave us the icy weight of the world
and now this.
must have been the right thing but it was the wrong man
must have been the right man but it was the wrong thing
will, there’s going to be a war.
his eyes widened.
are we going to have trouble?
no. probably not.
then to myself: but soon, and for the rest of our lives.
tonight there is another big-brown-eyed boy somewhere
his father is answering him with words i can’t hear
but someone is coming someone massive angry and driven mad
by the pinpricks of other madmen
now the whirlwind begins until the lesson is learned again
to be forgotten three generations hence
on the television a young man
walks across broken glass
in his bare feet
the others watch with consternation
the man who helps him at the end tells him:
congratulations — you’ve made the finals!
everyone laughs and shouts with glee and financial savvy
tommorrow the day of greenlit terror begins
for the good of the world says the little man with the
confused eyes, and the future of us
for love of god and hatred of god
the mad little corporal and the number-one fan of saladin
goad the giant fat beast to leap forward with a scream
it almost feels good when it’s on television between the snakepits and roachpits
you and me we think we’re so smart
but we got conquered by a vicious little nerd with glasses
named karl rove
karl, that’s a northern frank name, now that’s funny.

andy i throw you a line.
of perfect madman mithril.
i’m on this side you’re on the other.
four beautiful children between us.
hallowed be our brilliant mates
we are not worthy.
pull tight. shall we come alive somehow.
and pull us up and out of this blunt and rude state.
snap-the-whip and shake route 66 alive
here it comes
i believe you and i
can make the lights hum with joy and forgetfulness
i’m closing my eyes
here it comes, andy.
pull.

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