numb

There were things I should tell you before you accept my invite
things that I've seen that no man should ever suffer
places & crumbling edifice & luxury corruption
terrible weeping sights and strange abuse
cigarette burns on air pockets of disaster
thrashed branches & broken limb morals
turning madly swinging in the afternoon

I saw a generation brain-washed and dumfounded
broken sunglasses consumer products
fearing God but losing self-imagination
standing on the edge brink of civilization
forgotten buried under roses history a myth
breathing butterflies and mapping destiny
gorgeous drenched in the hot solar rays

I saw an old nasty man with two gray mouse ears riding carriage
down dirty wet new-asphalt road, blown onto trail
stimulus package builder parking permit brokerage
stringing broken unhappy Christmas lights in July
cloggy iron boots ravaging the morning grass
cementing their illiteracy and slaking trepidation

I saw a young aristocrat blow his brains into heaven dharma
unquestioning his blushed bright face & screaming
devil's delight the untruth of trauma packets of lust
swiveling his feet & remarking on the last steamboat
sure took the piss out of it

I saw two children dancing quietly in the broken glass yard
swinging with their fists at the pulpy face of warning
taking heed pressing doorbells & basking original
strapping their houses with ammunition skipping
telling the tallest trees they are not on the level

I saw an ocean commanding the seamen of its bosom
entreating their survival casting them far aside
humpback whales giggling moaning mourning
the damp salty morning greeting way-worn
nobody with lovers' parting kiss

I saw the sinking mindful beam of daylight breaking
chastising & surrendering to the green dragoon
touching caressing needling & superimposing
triage & travesty & shrill tongues harping

And I saw the last living monarch swell with pride
capsizing into smirking murky mendacity
last of a thoughtless moment in thoughtless
history though really digital half-age is not
so bad