Ozymandias
by Carmine Giordano
What’s the point
of all the blah-blah
anyway
of all the words
of all the subjects
of all the predicates
of thee I sing
of one nation under god
of all men created equal
of all the reasoning
of all the talk
of the logic of two plus two
when truth isn’t truth
but a putty pot
of possible shapes
for the hands
that mock
the hearts
that feed
* * *
Dervish
by Carmine Giordano
The monks
whirl away
from us
in their solitary
centrifuge -
their bodies
jettisoned
from food
from drink
from touch
they leave us
for the core
they go
to their
spirit lover
obedient
chaste
and poor
* * *
The Vending Machine
by Carmine Giordano
There’s always
somebody out there
foraging
trying to sell
trying to foist and load
mug you with god
or ideas
or endless products -
whitener toothpaste
eternal life
democracy
capitalism
resurrection
hybrid engines
lower taxes
vote for me
yielding bonds
lock her up
he’s a bum
funeral packages
car insurance
Cocoa Puffs
organic beans
insurance for your sewer pipe
insurance for your life -
come to me they say
crying their wares
come to me
all ye that labor
that are heavy burdened
we will refresh you
lighten your weight
make you slender
make you holy
make you rich
just gimme gimme gimme
gimme what I want
your cash
your credit card
your mind -
your soul
* * *
Winter Scene
by Carmine Giordano
Nature jewels
her seasoned plants
with filigrees of frost -
pausing to let
her dowagers
catch breath -
she hides
their autumn wear
with tenderness
beneath
her glistening snow.