by rawclyde

!

Vladimir Lenin has somehow transfigured into a buzzard in this desert land

and so has Elmer Gantry, the professional (by Sinclair Lewis) good man

together they glide in lazy circles above the tiny town of Why

where I’ve parked Holy Mary’s shrine beneath this “wasteland”s sky

~

They’re peaceful creatures tipping now and then as they glide in the air

feeding on the dead, I suppose, when I don’t see them around up there

once one starved a lot of peasants, the other fooled a lot of folks

down below, I roll cigarettes, light ’em and enjoy my coffin-nail tokes

~

Holy Mary, I believe, wouldn’t mind appearing in a peasant’s vision

but in the United States, ha! we only believe in subtraction and addition

the subtraction of God & thee addition of money in the bank

plus dope and television and nobody upstairs to humbly thank

~

Except the buzzards, Vladimir & Elmer, oh and here comes Harry

Harry?  Where’d he come from?  Oh no!  Also here comes Gary

there’s all kinds of buzzards around here but I see no road kill

and out of the pure blue appears a real beauty whose name is Jill

~

Well, it’s good to know there’ll be no funeral expenses when I go

it’s good to know I’ll nourish some o’ God’s creatures at my final show

they’re so peaceful, they don’t bother anybody, don’t make a sound

I’ll just have one more cup of coffee as they peacefully glide around

…

(copyright clyde collins 1999)