Monday 13 May 2013

Court In Session

Wooden floors convulse at the approaching bands of termites
Restless curtains still to the broken thrums of the generator
Fingers leap on hot phones, shrivel and melt away
The forbidding air holds council with blank walls
Too old for decisions
Ivory gavel strikes for order
Bed and slippers stare mutely at the ceiling
Who will plead not guilty?

All rise.

Judge takes off torn, tired robes
Thrusts swollen feet into the same slippers
Breaks into the mechanical arms of the same bed
Leaves curl in heavy dreams
Waves of wires swirl in metallic grayness
Men bounce off walls and try again
Women press against glass doors that cannot budge
Children sit in corners and bite their nails

Judge’s eyes flicker and open dazed
Ceiling fan cutting and churning stale air

All there is to see.

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