The American Way Of Death (was: Post-American Song)

Originally posted 3/24/2012.

America
I wish you could see Death
as I do

As wave of star enveloping
As wave of earth encompassing
As wave of wind embracing
And the next minute
moment
second
instant it must be —

not this
Not This
As NOT THIS
as any moment ever

All I want to know about that moment
I cannot know
so I sit here
speaking of Death
waiting for Death
with fingers tapping

Damn this notion of having to wait
You wait as you will
I will be not be calm and resigned
I will instead call for tacos and pizza
and meats and cigarettes
to be delivered unto me
for those are American foods of Death

and in this country devoted
to living forever
I am starving for Death

In this country
devoted to living forever
I believe in live and let live
but I also don’t care
how anyone dies

Do you think that is awesome
or troubling or false
Am I now riding a wave
of your suspicion

America I wish you could see Death as I do
As wave of the star enveloping
As wave of the earth encompassing
As wave of the wind embracing us
whispering

come as you are

This is not the customary
way of Death
in America
Death is considered
a mistake
a justice
or an honor
We greet it
with a keening of grief
or a holler
and chorus
and cadence of joy 

There are such vigilante songs
in your heart
America
You don’t care how we die
as long as the lettuce stays crisp

I am wearing the mask
of a wave all-encompassing
but if I tear this mask off
and look at you hard
with the right kind of gaze
between glare and adore
perhaps I shall then learn
how the rockets and twilight
lead to dawn’s early light

Till then
don’t be surprised if
we don’t care
how you die 
as long as it makes sense
in the moment of Death
as long as it closes
the long running plot