Bonnie’s Pond

on friday we left our city in ruin
still on the road at saturday noon
you drank nuclear tea from a biodegradable cup
and i drove the car like i’d just woken up
not a thing in the sky, no sun, bird, or cloud
our voices too quiet and the music too loud

the top was down, and our hair in the breeze
roadside workers were paving over the trees
i asked of a man, “where does that road go?”
“doesn’t matter,” he said, “traffic’s too slow”
i nodded assent, although i was lying
a sign up ahead read: UTOPIA: 9

you wrapped up your gum, hard from being overchewed
looked at my watch and said “how ’bout some food?”
we stopped at the drive-thru and looked at the board
it was written in english but we couldn’t read a word
off to the grocery store, no better luck there
empty shelves at the market, stacked with fresh air

outside, a garage sale, selling second hand smoke
to victims of prosperity, and those who went broke
a fortunate man, talked about kids and a wife
signed a contract for one easy fee of his life
his children look happy, they play with their friends
their lives have been frozen by a telephoto lens

this place is all wrong, it’s all of our fears
the blind speak the sounds that fall on deaf ears
no man owns a dog, there’s only stray pups
they forgot to drop the bomb, they just made it up
it’s brighter at midnight than during the day
and the people who’ve won have all lost their way

we get in the car, and on our way out
st. peter is busy, he’s scrambling about
a vinegar truck has crashed through the gates
the pearl is dissolving, it was made by cheapskates
as we make our way by we hear peter shout:
“you’re not first to come, but the first to want out!”

you opened the window, and threw the map to the ground
we smile at each other, we know what we’ve found
we don’t look in the mirror to remember ourselves
and know a love story without risks is a book on the shelf
tomorrow you’ll contradict everything that i say
and i’ll drown the fish in the usual way…