Privilege

privileged to know where the calories are 
civilized to an nth degree 
won the prize being a norte americano 
having a seat on the front of the bus 
privileged to be near the potable water 
civilized to an archdiocese 
won the prize by a laser guided bombing run 
privileged with a full set of teeth 
civilized to have medical care 
cauterized from the world pain 
privileged to know where the calories are
civilized to the valley home where the TV shines
the school bell rings clear and fine clear and fine 
privileged to a careless life 
gardener unseen in the hyacinth shadow 
sun filtered through the low-e glass 
politician dancing on the demograph's length
lucky as hell to be rare as a liberal dream

Ivana Trump/New Guinea Tribeswoman

I will paint my nails red. 
I will paint my forehead black. 
I will take the waters at Saratoga. 
I will carry water in a clay pot. 
I will wear a feather boa. 
I will collect white feathers. 
I will raid the next village and steal their  pigs. 
I will marry a pig and steal his  wealth.

Umbilical Cordite

god said 
whoever hangs up on my son 
whoever marries my daughter 
remember this 
the rhythm method watery way 
i don't care bout the color of your skin
or what you mattered 
just skip the umbilical cord 
just dance a skinful snootful 
just leaven the night with day 
i got no time for your eternal external conflicts 
or for the pelf for which you pray 
umbilical cordite burning 
the dues you all have to pay 
get up get off get down 
get back to when I play 

When the Water's Metered

when the water's metered 
you end the beaver fever 
but create a fever 
of the speculator's land 
greed greed dreams of turbines 
rises up an other 
who dreams 
of breaking the dam 
when the water's metered 
the boxes on the hillside 
hold families who dream of children 
but an other sleeps 
in the alleys and byways 
whose children die a mean death 
when the water broke 
and the meter stopped 
I can't tell you what to do 
having no hand dug well 
or well rounded dugs 
no meter 
no weather whether or not you dream 
but I tell you this for free 
no meter regulates the heartbeat 
no dam holds the ocean breeze 
no other waits behind your eyes

Time Will End

no doubt no fear anti-terror 
when the girl who cleans your teeth 
speaks soft Portuguese 
running across the runway 
piezoelectric strings humming
pizzaelectric sustenance 
before the flight after the show 
layers of organic and inorganic 
make a battery feeding the music 
one world six billion ways
runways glistening in the sun the rain 
starshine falling softly through 
a memory of love and family 
flights leaving arriving 
faces in the crowd alone smiling 
down the years and corridors 
at the end of time of will of end