American Wanderlust from Being Watched by James McOmber

Like a black ant fighting fire ants
watched closely by Thoreau
first you go down swinging soft
in fear of reaping what you sow
Then you find within you wanderlust
like Eros with his bow
and you dream to find your quiver
wandering whither arrows blow
You learn footsteps wake you faster
when they're quiet and they're slow
You are captured watching cavalcades
in coal dust as they go
And your avarice is aimed
at names they named in sheets of snow
But you'd best lay down your weapons
you're American, you know


Littered sidewalks laughed you off
and while you slept beneath a tree
project windows peeled their boards
and moaned "Reality is free"
So you cast new constellations
of your laughing effigy
built art deco in Asmara
and poured salt in Galilee
Then the charming and cavorting
break your banks like crates of tea
Now you dream that borderlines
you never crossed all softly plea
"Come to Salem, be our pet"
which would be foolish as can be
So you'd best retire the spellbook
you're American, you see


Still those footsteps wake you quickly
slow and silent as the dew
Still you're captured watching cavalcades
carousing as they do
And there's still that horrid itch
when they sing names you never knew
so I see you've kept your weapons
how American of you

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