OPEN WINDOW

Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

From my book: DARWIN'S MOON

the cars

rumble past

and from their

open windows

you hear cackling

or cussing

or some kind

of rap crap

an angry young man

shoutin' bout

bitches and hos

with his finger up his nose

I'm tired of hearing

the angry young man

through your open window

don't care if he's black

or white

I've been that guy

the rallies

and the marches

righteous indignation

like you wouldn't believe

students commandeering

the dean's office

and getting dragged

out by their heels

do you know

how that feels?

there was Haldeman

Erlichman

and Dean

and student bodies

lying dead

on the campus green

hey

at least we stood

for something

besides gangsta worship

all the angry young men

who don't know

what they're mad about

every generation sees

them come and go

you don't live

in the ghetto

and the only thing

you have

to complain about

is your pants

are falling down

and I'm tired

of hearing the

angry young man

railing

through your open window

you think you've got

something to prove

but in truth

you've got nothing to lose

but your youth

so convinced

that you'll always be

the malcontent

but I'll tell you what

it all comes to naught

and a house

in the suburbs

in the end