today i watched a woman unhinge her jaw
stuff a donut in and chew, rhythmic mastication
i wondered if the donut was good, quality
or old and crusty, only the surface beautiful
she chewed, pastry cud, eyes pasted to the telly
images paint rolled on of the devistation
in New Orleans, bodies floating in water
eyelids low, fleshy cheeks moving with her jaw
she observed houses surrounded by muddy water

a guy walked in as i was reading an old Newsweek
i could see his Adidas tennis shoes and Puma track jacket
in my peripheral vision as i read about London subway
naked bloddy bodies being stepped over by fleeing people
he stared with the woman at the television, his mouth
slightly ajar, breathing air in and out
probably drying out his lips, tongue, breath
she continued chewing, lifted her left leg
and placed it over her right, shifted onto her right
butt cheek, took another bite of possibly sinewy sweet

today i listened to christian rock disguised as punk
the guy bobbed his head like a rocker, i'm sure
he wished he could turn up the volume, jam
but i was there, so now i wonder what's the criteria
for christian music? is there a board that decides
what becomes eligible for play on these stations?
i wonder who's idea it was first--to incorporate
the rock and pop formulas into church music?

today i sit in an air conditioned room, jacket on
tapping plastic keys, electricity gobbed by this monitor
later i will walk down sidewalks scratched from earth's surface
ground gaia innards chew by metal teeth, never swallowed
while mud dries, mold grows, skin cells grow and finally
push hard scabs off mended wounds, fall for ants to find
i will think about old leaders, that have finally grown up
and wish to go back so they can have that moment
not chew that donut, and really try to save the world.