Newark, New Jersey

The airport shop sells Jelly Beans and Chomsky. I buy both.
Think of the WTC site, a shrine to patriotism and tack.
Vendors flog anything from five dollar crystal engravings
To fake Gucci handbags. Through my sunglass lens I saw
A rainbow in a clear blue sky. Heavenly sign or trick of the light?
I’m nonplussed. On Hudson a man begged for ten dollars
Then offered to buy my hat. What have I missed ?
In the three D city whose Most Valued Citizens are its dogs.

Watch Fox News for word of empire, hear the man sing that after
Nine Eleven some say they’re looking for a fight, and hell, he thinks
They’re right, don’t know the difference between I-raq and I-ran,
But still – the can-do optimism, this land is our land,
From Bahia Blanca to Parque Mauricie… And a woman calls
C-Span and tells the world to visit smirking chimp dot com
If they really want to find out what’s going down
In the homeland secure.


28.06