Before,
when showers kettles baths
umbrellas swimming pools pots pans
our hands, cupped, to catch the rain
made us gods over water,
we thought little of the sea nearby.
Not when we had beach towels enough
to dry the sea away.
Now we build bridges,
expecting this to last,
not daring to ask
"What will we eat?"
in a day, or in a year--
Flood waters didn't
wash away civilization.
We burned Shakespeare for warmth.
We dance like Muzetta, we artists of our unmaking,
and put on layers as our bodies lose them.
What will we do when the rains come?
Pray our skyscrapers are tall enough,
or learn to swim.
when showers kettles baths
umbrellas swimming pools pots pans
our hands, cupped, to catch the rain
made us gods over water,
we thought little of the sea nearby.
Not when we had beach towels enough
to dry the sea away.
Now we build bridges,
expecting this to last,
not daring to ask
"What will we eat?"
in a day, or in a year--
Flood waters didn't
wash away civilization.
We burned Shakespeare for warmth.
We dance like Muzetta, we artists of our unmaking,
and put on layers as our bodies lose them.
What will we do when the rains come?
Pray our skyscrapers are tall enough,
or learn to swim.
Leave a comment

