earth note 115

grand canyon winter 1979

fog held steady on the north rim
wondering if my footing
down the south rim
would be any better
than jimmy carter’s freefall
dragging descent to the edge
revenge induced vietnam war criminals
gave hustlers their sleight of hand
faking populist economic culture claptrap
effectively covering a bare-assed fascism
in ronald reagan g e scripture

halfway down the bright angel trail
the mules came thumping up
worked me over to the canyon wall
passing
like night shift miners
just shy of the light

and the growth that jumped from the rocks
had an evergreen
poking up like a scarecrow
making it’s own horizon
giving the eagles
a good enough reason
to move on

--- e b bortz

pundits

& establishment pols
foisted on an angry population
eating it raw
throwing it up
packaging & sending rationalizations
to the unsuspecting
this is full-tilt boogie
breakdown
a weave of our blood dollars
into frazzled hair transplants
new hairdos & ass lifts
ego & machines stay oiled
.....the city burns

--- e b bortz