the american legion color guard
belonging to the last millennium
stands at arthritic attention,
while other fossilized citizens are
schmoozing, killing time in the parking lot
waiting for the grand opening of a fine new
food emporium florist pharmacy gas station
butcher baker candlestick maker
monumental megamonster icon
of american life and healthy avarice.
paunched pouter pigeon profiles
of rotary club good ol' boys mingle
with frizzled blu-grey hairdo ladies who
sniff down their noses at the welfare people
long haired men with biker fingernails
and unruly unwashed children….
a newsman interviews the crowd
at random "oh, we'll be in the paper
this week joe" while the obese poor
stare on thinking of donuts.
the sheer tonnage of this crowd
waiting patiently for the new store
to open the door to paradise
could sink the QE 2.
the local political wheel's
glad-handing his way through
the clutch of serious supermarket
bizznis men on cell phones with
bank accounts
bigger than the local fiscal budget
and mistresses without varicose veins.
i am invisible sitting in my filthy
rusted out old Chevrolet
a big mouse, a gleeful witness filled
with pleasant vitriol.
lucky the color guard is standing
in the shade.
now they move their creaky joints
forward in precision
their flags hanging limp in July air
the speeches begin then stop
then begin
i can't hear them until they all recite
the american mantra of today
i pledge allegiance to the flag
and the 24-7 business
one-stop shopping offering everything short of
brain surgery which we need to set
us straight again after being part of
this capitalist circle jerk.
cash registers sharpen their metal teeth
while the god of groceries makes introductions
applause applause
the local pol in seersucker is "put on the spot"
being asked to ooze
a few words.
men in cheap suits,
toadies to the power that gives them
their daily bread,
are grateful for a cool morning, and the fat
men's feet hurt while the grand ceremony
goes on and on.
the bagel lady takes her bow and the
crumb bun man takes his bow and the
lettuce man takes his bow and the
chicken man takes his bow and the
butcher man takes his bow and the
toilet cleaning lady takes her bow
and the natives are restless.
mercifully there are no clowns
to torture us with jolly antics
just little flags passed out free
to celebrate ameriky
the land of the heap big spender.
thank god the american legion boys are
taking those silly military baby steps
violent action such as a march would
kill them, and half this crowd.
the seersucker suited, pig-eyed pol
with his contact lenses
smiles his fine dental work.
the grocery god cuts the ribbon.
the fat consumers surge toward heavens
gate and in they go to big food land at last.
welcome mr. grocery man.
Click image to enlarge.
A. Murray July 30, 2003
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