The Garden, Worlds Fair

All tomorrow,

the whole world

for me and you,

lets be the first ones there

 

past hills and rocky road

through groves that stretch for miles

to one more left

where there

shining through the morning fog:

the sailing arch

 

a Grand Banner,

a garden platform,

 -HERE LIES THE FUTURE-

on a plaque

 -KEEP YOUR EYES FOR THE GREAT STONE-

 -IT WAS All OF US TO LIFT-

 -SO PRAY THE WEIGHT AGAIN-

 -TO HAVE TO CARRY SIDE BY SIDE-

 

in the foyer,

The Welcome Woman

on a screen.

a hand mirror, oil on her lips,

toes in garbage, she talks:

“THIS IS THE SIGN I WALK”

 

She speaks with lips just red:

"I need: a faucet,

and a place to pray.”

Her head is huge. She says,

"Put a mean jesus on the throne

so he’ll die for us without worship,

Put a baby in his place

without a raise to palaces.”

Her hands signal to the open gate:

The Worlds Fair.

 

can we stop for cotton candy?

Look! Whats over there? its HG Wells!

traveled by his time machine

and warns us of the past!

its all been written down, we say

and offer up a bite of pink

to cool his nerves

 

Come see The Trash Eater!

she knives dainty strips,

sips and chews with debutante cheeks,

all casual

 

Or the whirlwind! the fun house!

 

Hurry!

What a seat the last left,

Terrastadon vs. Metal Man.

the buildings built to break,

and break they must.

those giant legs:

for us

i whisper.

 

now its noon

you’ll have to choose--

the roost or the room:

one, you’ll want your time again,

two, you’ll gladly give it back.

 -AN HOUR YEAR-

what a wonder

i’ll pick you up at one and

see who you’ve become

 

 

 

see? just a flash!

but tell me later.

now: the brass forest!

we have to go!

i hear the trees sing

with hollow metal trunks!

they said it will change your life!

 

 -TO THE BRASS FOREST-

Bold

and underneath

a PSA:

 -THE ROOTS ARE TUBES-

 -THE GROUND WILL SHAKE-

 -BREATHE, YOU’RE SAFE-

 

A whole hour,

Music to the bone.

We run the Beat

and hug the ground

Our legs are gone

 

to a bench

to face the fair

to rest

and breathe in

 

 

hey,

I know,

lets ride the teacup train,

it travels round the town in one long strip.

a rest our feet to breathe, the park is ours

we’ll ride till night

 

and what a ride!

the babel tower!

Finnish, Greek, and Farsi

loose your throat,

your untrained tongue,

don’t snatch it let it nest

with patient ears

 

and look the lights!

blooming an electric bloom

What lights are these?

trained fireflies!

their work-- to stay as still as this!

light is brighter chained

and what a chain!

what a scene we ride!

 

wait

don’t be tired yet

we have to walk

the moon walk road

in boots that make you lighter than light

we’ll jump

and float

till the parks closed

 

 

 

home

i didn’t want to wake you on the ride

inside

before you sleep

take the day and write it down

what you saw that no one else could see

trust me

in 10 years it’ll all come back

our day we had together

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