Commencement for the Dead

09-10-2001
gotta get up gotta go
gotta get moving, be grooving, be
hit the clock grab a sock gotta rock
another day is coming
grumble mumble oh SHIT!

gotta get moving, get a cuppa joe
mocha no foam - you call this HOT
hit the road, time clock goads, not growing mold
car, like my temper overheating
mumble grumble SHIT! SHIT!

gaining, slowly gaining
till another days burdens gang up
and bury me beneath

and the world, bored, wanders idly by

09-11-2001
none of that natters now.

and the world, horrified, sits down.

09-11-2002
A commencement for the dead. That's what it was.
Reading the names, good names, weird names
strong names, bold, scared, belittled, overworked, underprioritized.

names.

Heroes and martyrs, that's what they called them.
But all of them? No. God no. I wish.

the ones who ran, ran, ran to immolation
never wondering why, never questioning
just get out! lemme up the stairs.
heroes.

the ones who ran, ran to despoliation
never knowing why, never asking
looking, screaming, trying to be brave.
fodder.

Fodder for a war that never existed, not then, really not now
snuffed in the name
the name
the good name, the cowardly name, the strong, belittled
underloving name of what?
vanity.

We commence the dead, reading the names.
they have power. they are us, and are not
they are more, what we could be.
what we will be.
commencement beginning
commencement ending

my name should be read when I can hear it
good name, puny name, strong name, belittled
heroic, cowardly, overworked, underprioritized,
running, screaming, running, trying.
but to what?
commencement joy
commencement sorrow

and the world, curious, wanders into another day.