fourth of july (1988)

Fireworks celebrate the fourth of july sky over the gulf of Persia
And you’re in italy sleeping off a siesta,

The planes passengers crossing the channel to their homes 
Smelling of Lebanese meats and spices, the sound of silly

Children happy to see daddy, spouse’s complaint of the local
Vicious dog that terrorizes the innocent meter reader doing daily duties

I’m pitching horseshoes in Oklahoma, taking aim
And firing with my lower lip silently chewed in contemplation

Pitching my shoe and hoping for a ringer the macho
Burst of fireworks resounds in my mind

And all I felt was disgust, and all I felt was this remorseful code
Dashdashdash dotdotdot dashdashdashing thru all the

Miles and differing wartime zones, and all I felt
From this celebration of isolation was nausea

My mind churning with the bloated floating dead
O spangled banner of america who’d guess you’re not an island

Though surrounded by mental waters you only
Lower your drawbridge to send out armed salesmen, what

Carrion you produce along the skyways of commerce!
What blisters swelling on the triggerfingers of ignorance,

What vain nationalism with your civil plights
And comdom-nation of others! And what  say I of myself?

I’m america too, an isolatoe, but I think that think my nation
Hates thinking, knockout those with something to give

Wrap nature in disposable diapers and talcum the
Consciences by proclaiming I am 

Not me! Swear it doesn’t hurt though the drought burns
Our pink skins like sonic insults! Independence day

Fade away like a pipe bomb, like a tummy ache, like 
A cramp in the side, and shatter our illusory caskets!



Midland Review, Oklahoma State Univ., 1989



"Iran Air Flight 655 was a scheduled passenger flight from Tehran to Dubai via Bandar Abbas, that was shot down on 3 July 1988 by an SM-2MR surface-to-air missile fired from USS Vincennes, a guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy. The aircraft, an Airbus A300, was destroyed and all 290 people on board, including 66 children, were killed"