REQUIEM FOR THE LAST NORMAL MAN

Imaginary Garden With Real Toads--d'Verse Poets Pub

1.

I've taken to writing my grocery lists
on the backs of my business cards
(I make better use of them that way)
and if I should happen to forget
and hand one out
at least the recipient knows the answer 
to the age-old question of
What's for dinner?

And how one longs for the days when
the man in aisle 5 talking to himself
was just your garden variety crazy
person and not some pussy-whipped
hubby taking orders from headquarters or
some Russian spy 
reporting to the White House

2.

The highest office 
for sale
to the lowest bidder 
while Joe Six-Pack grows so 
pious
worshiping flags
he's lost sight of the 
Grand Poobah
who transcends all this tribalism 

but even God knows
He's less sacred than
profane

3.

We gather by the river...

we're not praying
we're just wading in
and peeing 


4.

There's another kind of pollution
it is of the mind
it's seeped into the water supply
it's in the drinking water
it makes you paranoid 
to the point of nothing and
no one can be trusted
not even your own 

mom
you strongly suspect she's a
crisis actor on her days off
from the waffle house

the next stop for you is 
The Walking Dead


5.

I will admit it's getting
harder to identify
the good guys
it used to be so easy
they were the ones with
the white hats

6.

There's a deranged man
who shambles down my street
in the mornings
muttering
Take that shit to Valhalla!
while tugging on his crotch 

I feel that he's in contact
with unseen spirits
who know exactly what he's
talking about
but as for me
I wrack my brain daily
sifting through possible meanings

I know one day
that same flash of illumination
will arrive for me
being fully aware
that to get there
I'll have to follow
in his footsteps