vacancy

 flame fast upon the styro

foam underbelly of the

rapidly freezing uncooperative ozone

    (don't let it rain daddy)

the

initial waves hurt only a few

misguided wild winking creatures

grazing mesmerized by the new sun

by the endless summer

by the quick

    (what about the cat daddy?)

some say the continents shifted

tectonic shifts wrecking slumber

impact by the billions or so

psychogestalt screams of urgently

weeping innocents

    (how much water do we have daddy?)

the parthenon stood the eiffel blinked

hancock shuddered general motors flinched

but all carefully in place unharmed unscarred

    (daddy what's wrong?)

noah gasped christ wept and music

cloned recklessly moaned recognizable melodies

endgame moved into place bartered out

castled and kinged winged flashing

vacancy

vacancy...vacancy...

    (oh daddy it hurts)

mimes muttered clowns frowned the whole

broken circus city state

tumbled down

cavernous cravings mist hot twisted

vacancy

sensate symbiotic ruptures

seven dragons seven angels seven

remaining wonders / blunders

vacancy

    (oh god daddy i can't breathe!)

-- douglas brent smith