thus the merry pranksters of the world have grown more creative

they've stolen the religion
out of the churches
and the LOVE
out of the women
and the smiles
off the faces
of the white men
on the stone wall

the neutrons are gone
plucked from the air
tucked away
the pushpins drawn
out of the maps
with a single red string
motion

where is my apple pie?
where is my broken step ladder?
where is my lotto ticket?

my seed is gone
and my soil rocky
my sky is ripped open
and the fire falling out of it

the termites are in the woodwork
and the plan is slipping
the prayers are running backward
and the water melting

back to the mud we go
disappearing lung and limb
in a combat hat
and a pin-up girl
painted on the side

choking on the carbon
and algae
and bottles
and cans
and all the peace
an entire world can vomit up

we are left with all
we've ever known
we are left with just
the three colors
that make up everything

pain for pain
matched fifty cents
on every dollar

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