July
Impatiens wither in
noon sun's unblinking stare.
Earlier than usual, a slight breeze appearing,
cooling, forgiving,
waving the flag, its starry field
virtually engulfed by the original states.
Only a few days ago it was in full glory celebrating
the fourth, proud, strong, vibrant.
Color in its glory reveled my gaze
like the impatiens, the color soon faded
succumbed in summer's sun.
In a corner of fate another flag, triangled, waiting its pyre
once celebrating the fourth, proud, strong, vibrant
now faded, succumbed to countless summers' sun.
Color and fade, heaven and earth
light and dark, matter and not.
Disparate tongues selfishly bleat
rending deserts in their wake.
Stars fling outward unto darkness
suns consuming their bowels.
In a corner of France
a cylinder entombed protectively;
the precise kilogram
atomically loses weight.
© July, 2003