The Gravity of Combustion
Ellen Stern

Thank you, Oh Lord, our Heavenly Creator
For providing this lunchtime diversional crater.
Stockbrokers, hat-in-hand, wonder with endurance
Whether Acts of Allah are exempt from insurance,
Wearing black tie as they sit in the bleachers
Rubbing elbows with children and history teachers
Submitting proposals for use of this space
To best capitalize on the time and the place.
To flood it for skaters? to stock it with carp?
Or an al fresco orchestra: lute, drum and harp?

Where basic mechanics and nihilism meet
Theatre-in-the-Round is just begging a seat.
A sporting arena like Ancient Rome's
Is sure to draw people outside of their homes!
The Bronx Zoo will offer their lions with pride
Ellis Island a ship, immigrants still inside
From countries we've blackballed and highly berated
Unalphabetized, unnaturalized, uninnoculated.
Or the French Revolution might make a good show
Replete with can-can dancers all in a row.
Mme DeFrage will be knitting away
Free tickets to one politician per day.

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