We went walking through the park.,
Goosing statues in the dark.
If Sherman’s horse can take it,
So can you.
-- Kurt Vonnegut,
Welcome to the Monkey House
Before the dusk and after dawn,
Between the twilight edges of the light,
A race obscene to look upon
Continues on its mindless road to night.
From sundown until sunrise,
Confusing lust and love,
The poet’s pornographic play
Embarrasses the moon and stars above.
Before the steak and after eggs,
Between the main and minor of our meals,
The question that our language begs
Obscures more than the god of Lies conceals.
From lights-out until sun-up,
Through nightmares, peaceful dreams,
And much disjointed nothing, sounds
A schizoid symphony of sighs and screams.
Before the going-down of day,
And after sun-up puts an end to dark,
The intervening hours stray
Like perverts goosing statues in the park.
From supper through till dinner,
Conflating dreams with thought,
The saintly sinners celebrate
What they have stolen from the ones who bought.
