But As I Travelled

By William P. Meyers

"But as I travell'd hither through the land,
I find people strangely fantasied;
Possess'd with rumours, full of idle dreams,
not knowing what they fear,
but full of fear."*

One man asked me if Jesus
Is my personal savior.
A woman told me that clouds
Are a government weapons program.
A hot day sways people one way
A cold day sways them another.
Some are afraid of Russia
Some of China, some of Iran,
Some of Obama, some of burning bushes.

Voodoo seems like a rational system
Compared to what friends share on Facebook.
Like ants heralding an apocalyptic flood
When a teacup tips in a garden.

They have been
Downsized, down-waged,
Down to the ground,
Down to the last dime,
Sleeping on relatives' sofas
Sending out resumes as effective as
Spinning a prayer wheel.

Some are
Shooting up on anger
Shooting up on heroin
Shooting up targets
Shooting up Xbox zombies
Shooting at spouses
Shooting at school mates.

A beast slouches towards Bagdad
And a serpent encircles Washington.

*Shakespeare's King John, Act IV, Scene II, lines 143-146.

Copyright 2014 by William P. Meyers all rights reserved