Wednesday, July 12, 2006

The Vans and the Buses

Checkered Vans
make Kurt Cobain
think David Byrne is cool
Cool enough to emulate
Cool enough to take Janine's place?
Never.
Maddy said Janine had flowers for breath
silken woven worm made hair
that shimmered as a lei
around Shaair's neck
and on his feet
were not checkers
but Ali Shaheed Muhammad's
New Balance
like a trip on the bus
It's National Make Congress Ride the Bus Week
They work in blue collared, raged, swollen, mildewing jobs
with no medical insurance
And they break.
And they too do themselves in
Like the nation
Like Kurt.