MARCH 2007

'Airport'
- by Ian Reed -

Report suspicious persons and unusual activity
says the disembodied voice unreal, unreal.
Discard your toothpaste, gels, and medicines;
in every bottle there is danger; we're watching you;
our eyes watch over you and do not sleep.

Report suspicious persons and unusual activity
says the soothing voice unreal, unreal.
We need to see what you see, your retina, biometrics;
Numb, benumbed; trance-like step into this booth;
don't worry, don't be scared; we're watching you.

Report suspicious persons and unusual activity
says the floating voice unreal, unreal.
The Fourth Amendment of our Constitution says
no unreasonable searches, is this reasonable?
It says a warrant is required, did you get one?

Report suspicious persons and unusual activity
says the unheeding voice unreal, unreal.
Before our idol, the god of Fear, we bow down;
we worship thee, oh abomination that causes desolation,
remove our shoes (for this is holy ground).

Report suspicious persons and unusual activity
says the anonymous voice unreal, unreal.
The new creed is National Security, recruiting Terror
to its cause, its clause of War. Suspended disbelief, is this
a dream, a movie, the stuff of fiction? When will I wake?

Report suspicious persons and unusual activity
says the disingenuous voice unreal, unreal.
The Sunnis and Shiites hate each other. Perhaps.
The Occupier put on the clothes of each, and so
disguised he maimed and raped each other's children.

Report suspicious persons and unusual activity
says the chilling voice unreal, unreal.
On board, the conversations, screaming babies,
turbulence, milk-white cloud swathing the wings,
ghost-like descent, flashing grey, reversing thrust, and then…

Report suspicious persons and unusual activity
says the Orwellian voice unreal, unreal, unreal.


February 2007

'Polemics,' a collection of political verse dating back to 2000, is at
http://www.reedandwrite.com/Political_Poems_date.shtml