The Great American Decay

"I must sound like the ghost of Christmas' past."
I said, with a wink, to the sister walking next to me.
My pockets were hanging fat and rich
full of change and other nonsense.
I was hoping that I'd see a wishing well
instead of an arcade, or at least
before a donation cup for
a blind deaf mute boy with aids
catches me with a guilty conscience
on my short sleeves.
So I stayed out of the stores and on the street.

In my left hand I carried a suitcase
full of everything I've been able to hang onto and
a mind full to the cusp of all the lessons I've learned.
Everything I've been told that I should fear,
I left on the curb next to every song I've ever heard.
I think it was "Instant Karma!"
that finally drowned Pandora out.
Or maybe I finally walked far enough from
the cries of, "You'll see, You're wrong, We're Right."
that I could no longer hear how wrong I was

I made a sign to hold that reads, "Freedom or Bust"
but the road offers no peace,
no limp wristed diplomacy.
Just shoes full of excuses
and a woman to walk with me.
She filled my eyes with pride at first,
but I can see and hear her teeth chatter
a babbling rant in a language
better suited for some long dead society..
...or maybe one yet to come....
only time will tell........
....or at least whoever writes the book......
"Shaking nervous index fingers
can still pull steel triggers,"
she said...
..to me, but hopefully not expecting a reply,
"Bring it back to their steel womb."
One life is born, as another walks out the backdoor.
"That's my problem," she said,
obviously believing she was on a roll.
"I just can't find a door to lock behind me."