What Wilderness Is This?

What cackling from the nurses' beverage station,

What cat food consumed alone with freeze-dried coffee,

What obese, imperious State Policemen,

What low politicians preening,

What grey wound that will not heal?

What machetes of the other tribe,
What waste removed at 3AM from New York dumpsters just below?

What shrunken head,

What acid hiss,

What former friends who dash like jackals

In and out of my composure?

What machine to tune the laughter track,
What great loves reduced to rust,

What savage protest,

What remorse when dust is seen as nothing more than dust?