SIDE
smokestack lightnin’
wild side
other side
flip
side
bit
on the side
I hears you
can’t do nothing
when twelve bar slide
or blow
that blues harp
so much death in that ocean
under that mud-brown river
hell yes
I’ve studied that time
saw how
it lost
its colour
all that
glorious grey
war never over
till its over
divide outside always
first inside
AT ROME
they look back
longingly at Rome
whose triremes ruled
the Mediterranean
whose legions kept
control over
much of the
known world
whose slaves rebelled
and were crucified
along the entire
length
of the Appian Way
by the monstrously
rich General, Marcus Crassus
who would come to
be captured by the Parthians
and fed molten gold
AT APPOMATTOX COURTHOUSE
proceedings were held up
because the burgers and cokes
had not arrived
then they
stopped shirts, swopped swords
slavery remained the elephant in the room
it was either kiss and makeup
or unconditional surrender
Arnold Schwartzenegger was playing General Grant
the Rock (naturally)
was playing the ghost of Stonewall Jackson
Charlie Sheen
was totally miscast as Robert E Lee
he rolled ten singles in succession
and so Vicksburg fell
and Pickett’s charge was defeated
unfortunately this doesn’t mean shit
because the Japs and the Krauts
invaded on alternate history Netflix
they promised to
have a comnerative reunion meeting
when the time felt right
slavery remained the elephant in the room
(a room
nobody bothered to, didn’t
even think to clean)
SO
cotton
burns
is inflammable
set fire
to North and
the South
of
North America
blue men
grey men
black people
on a flaming merry-
go round
harum-scarum
sins
of the fathers
shadows
cast forever
as you sow
so reap
as you sew
leave it to posterity
to unstitch
poems 2 die for