Slow Fade to Black

Alan P. Scott - Verses

exit stage center


(fade in) videotape romp through styrene meadows
a silver door to forever in every indifferent house
opens onto verdant blacktop, vacant fields
headlights eyeliner ocean liner trapped deer eyes
caged blackness shadow sea moonshine tidal caves
television cameras train on gophers unaware
in stinking storm sewers; from filth comes only filth,
raw open pit of sewage.
(cut to:)
Green sea, gray sky, red rust, birds die
buried feathers congealed in petroleum 100% rayon/orlon/nylon
in polyethylene to survive the death of the sun
(commercial:)
carillons peal oranges paint peels
wilted acid flowers rain gone, gone
(back to our feature presentation:)
Gray birds
in gray nests in gray gutters on gray houses
silhouetted against gray factories under--you guessed it--
gray skies in which gray birds wheel--
gray day in de mawnin. headlights burn does till impact
ruins fine korinthian leather, upholstery from heaven,
saith the Lord who upholdst me in comfort upon a la-z-boy
recliner of softest naugahyde forever amen
(slow dissolve:)
steam and semen and flux of flame from stacks
which stink and flues which wise things flee
(wipe:)
Costly green fertilized lawns on the blood
of brown children, trees manicured bushes cameras gape
as Our President speaks wisely about the poor he never sees.
(cut to:)
Distended bellies on neverwhite mothers and sons
crying in endless hunger with huge sorrowful eyes
(commercial:)
Have it your way, have it your way have it your
way haveityourwayhaveityourwayhaveityourwayhaveitourway
sellsellsellsellsellsellsellsellsellsellsellsellhellsellsell
we now return you to our regularly scheduled pogrom
(pan across:)
landscape of fear denuded once green
the orange peels verdure from the aching land
from spinning non-dandelions black and flaming
(slow dissolve:)
blonde girlchild picks flowers in a midwest
field of yellow and green, asking their forgiveness
as she cuts the tender stems, although quenched adult lust
asked none
(cut to:)
auburn-haired boychild picks flowers in a
field of yellow and green with one twisted arm--it was
a tranquil mother, an easy birth
(cut to:)
brown-haired girlchild picks glass from arm in
flowerless field of black and faded yellow
(cut to:)
black child will never see flowers
(cut to:)
brown child will never see
(cut to:)
knife cuts; child will never be
please dear jesus no more have mercy
no way the public'll never buy it
(roll end credits; slow fade to black)


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ascott@pacifier.com