National Reality
Greta Byrum
“Time makes more converts than reason.” - Thomas Paine
[taxed]
and it came to pass in those days
there went out a decree
from Caesar Augustus
all the world should be taxed
who has ears to hear let him hear
the great stone face
verily i wish that it could speak
voice like unto a net cast into the sea
gathered of every kind of being
parable
[authorized to use force]
an old prophesy should come to pass
the voyager may have described
smoke curling up shingle roofs gleam
purple mountains wild blue
things as they are
all fiction can be used
true in sense america
i saw you you were in a tale
i had read there were poets
ridding iraq
this is not a question of authority
it is a question of will
involves choice and everything man
does he does in art
[gifts of men and women to the pursuit of peace]
i didn t know how i walked
but i had a walk i said i don t know
they all howled hole in the wall i
love you envers de l histoire that is
the future we choose free nation
balance -829.1 billion
poets and readers of poetry the
nonsense our century has produced
would demand ten life spans j ai
fermé les yeux when you were through
with those who could come by crutches
you would take this little cart
canisters of wet saline bandages
up and down the ward
it was almost like a surgical procedure
they didn t anesthetize
the boys and it was terribly painful
[what reason would reject]
immense naked courage
splendid lifespans what hope is there
to disprove point by point
military manpower
ill will and a resentment
impels to war the government
natural course of things diffusing
how far in the discharge
of my official duties have i been
guided conscience
believed myself
governed well satisfied
our country under all
[your reward in heaven]
rejoice and be
prophets before you say
master what good thing shall i do
why callest thou me good
there is none but one one job
the judge and the judge
cast in prison cups
the mouths of two or three witnesses
verily say unto you
the servant is greater than his lord
[no more will heal]
i was a stranger and ye took me not in
ye have the poor with you always
whiskey pete blow manna anthrax coke thin air wild blue
yonder cherry bombs battling clouds jap pop
shell of shells flowerpots cherrybombs
time rain tall mannequin a seated woman
crowded with stars invisible show on
show hope this finds you xx refuge
only the poet refuge of false
luck her boots plodding back and forth
to the hangar if it weren t for the army uniforms
constant noise of helicopters russian 747 like jets
the eye sensing apparatus also impaired reflected raw
understood it is the case of hamlet
obviously on the face
hero missions and the body bags
a few seconds later left
his look stayed with me
[the meteor of the war]
we are currently using every means
at our disposal in the air and in the water
military spokesman william cauldwell
said captain rashid violence
shattered four civilians
and friday a suspected shoebomber
targeting a shiite imam who criticized terrorist
leader abu musab zarkawi blew himself up
inside the barata mosque during friday
prayers helpless offspring many and anxious
thoughts revolved a loss what to do above all things
the overthrow of all my hopes this long dream
the door ajar and i stood a moment
undone this seems all but can be usefully said
all that one does
america considered a job
[some future number]
white picket fence grave grave copy industrious
wrote on paling contentedly that is all
of him except indeed one vague
report introducing the scrivener standing as first appeared
it is fit i make some mention of myself
my business my chambers i do not speak it
the girls work for the company with
sweeping among other places the floor of
the room where the shaft in a passageway ran
from the floor to ceiling she was whirled
striking the wall and machinery her apron
caught and drawn around the shaft
the letter had no date it began my own precious darling
you asked if i miss you yes indeed
i do miss your sweet smiling face
[payment to be made]
if thine eye be single thy whole body
shall be full of light if therefore
the light in thee be darkness
how great that darkness
no man can serve two
hate the one and love the other
is it not written my house shall be
called of all nations the house
but ye have made it a bank
verily verily i say
in secret nothing ashes
[moment of clarification]
bright lights bright writings meteors pretty sittingpretty
museum of sex whitney modern folk holocaust african
american museum lonelymuseum of restraint no fly
zone museum of art skyscraper hotel bank america bank of america
horses foaming at the mouth swallowed exploded charred
the light of the body myth #1
guns are only used for killing capital
and it is now clear for all to see
that there are terrorist elements
the world must prevent it has the likely excuse
of proving nothing so we ve urged restraint
suddenflash some of these days you ll miss your
shadow innercity skyscraper civil
human sitting pretty inside the building
outside howled for the world to give him a name
the in dark answered with wind all you know i know
careening astronauts and
[where the rollers where wavelengths]
on board of a ship or other
vessel such enemy contraband
rigging apparel bridge bridge and tunnel
you are useless when the tides
swiftly wreck staggering ships
useless o grave o beautiful the land
i have heard you are useless
the wind sounds with this o plunder
lily honey not more sweet than the salt
stretch of your beach stay but terror
caught a smell passes under us and sparks
unknot the flesh sorrow splitting sexy
is CEXC counterexplosive exploitation cell
a secretive group at baghdad camp victory
useless when he reached it
steadied himself
[readying the inmate]
katrina tropical storm still causing plenty
trouble twisters clothesline grave white
fence picket five members of the team
and defendant parker will walk
30 to 45 seconds the warden will ask
any last words a hood 2400 volts 7 seconds
600 volts for 17 greener grass green
grass i wanted my new shirt belle sometimes you
belle bursts into tears allright allright forget it belle
alcohol can be used for rubbing indicates the drum
david only a couple of doors left
jb hey dave dave come here you won t regret it
grass nipper s brandy and water
the ghetto vice versa ghetto jefferson
included this verse
[render therefore]
disciples said unto him lord teach us to pray
and he said in heaven hallowed forgive
caesar he saith by parables
said judas if they do
these things what shall i do
then saying i have sinned and i ve betrayed
life is more than meaning
and body is more
and the body is more than raiment
consider
[polish it until it glows]
and he said unto them yes say that i am
then the high priest rent his clothes and said
prophesy gathering clouds he answered
nothing no flyzone no
promise of preservation but
when his proud parents named him jesse
the late mr james became an unanticipated immortality
in bold relief from the general dead level
nothing this morning nothing at all
at last the lady said
could you use a typewriter fountain
points of light flash out
forever just exchange their messages
compose the green line of eros and of dust
beleaguered by the same negation and despair
affirming
may i
[american magic]
charred bits of bloody
hell opens instantly upon the green
line pretty people disappear like smoke
friends will arrive will disappear if you want
honey baby i ll be tears in our eyes we drove off
into the sunset looking for another place
to put the garbage mess does not cling
a rolling stone luck to all of you
j p morgan had said
america is good enough for me some senator
recommended if he ever changes his mind
he should give it back there was no way
to measure the soul
of a man like that
[landscape]
boots on the ground army of one graves green
green grass army of one army of one graves green grass
grass green greener grass greener grass weeds weeds weeds
greener grass army of one white picket fence white picket
white picket fence weeds language that is also
destroyer of battlefield illusions
the age of high tension wires
white picket fence language
hell will said letting his head
fall around
darling
[the garden]
saying woe because ye garnish
sepulchres when ye see the south wind blow ye say
there will be heat and it cometh to pass woe
who have the uppermost seats
ye are as graves which appear not
men walk over them not aware of them
now in the place where he was was a new sepulchre
there laid then jesus they
rolled a great stone to the door and departed
the bridegroom went in with the marriage
and the door was shut
[thin air]
pilate answered
what i have written i have
thin air and many women
pilate gave them leave
by night a mixture of myrrh
aloes took the body
wound in linen cloths
abundance of shores
sandy banks clumps of magnolia
the party among them
counter currents the pirogues fleet
along the light breeze under sails of animal skins
alone with
the will of a party
[where else can i]
being pushed out of shape no
matter lost tipping
i d just be curious to know if you
can see yourself on the ruins literal ruins
just another life of sin i have
paid started rolling down obligation desert
rolling started rolling lost tipping
point powers properly distributed
such good government sayin i can t
mirror good on my mind
curious to know if you can
erosion
[lonesomeness]
sleep alone tonight i know cause
tonight like any other you
laugh so easy hate
over and over laugh so
easy easy laugh again
performance killing
an arab there must be reverence
inseparable from proper objects
city plains highway clover leaf stranger
sunk in a vast knowledge
filled with old heroes
takes guts to be gentle and kind i m not
afraid not afraid to speak i m not alone
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