vervain______

limitation and
the zoo

anger.
the pictures
aren't
turning out
right.
there is no time
or
the door is locked.
(the windows won't open)
what do you do
when every sound
cuts to your
bone?
i hear dog whistles,
i hear the chatterings
of dolphins
in the
not so
nearby
ocean.
the lawn mowers
don't help.
his fucking
video game
doesn't help,
and the caffiene
didn't help
either.
now what?
(other than following
the habit
of my rage?)

the birds have
their wings clipped.
that is why
they stay.
they sit in boxes
on perches made for them
it seems strange
how they
just
sit
there
staring out
at the people
turning their heads
sometimes.
little kids
bang on the glass
the peacock inside
pecks at
little hands and faces.
its eyes are clear
like quartz crystal
the black pupils
give it
a frightened
look.
i pose
near the glass
to get my picture
taken.
later i feel
bad
about this.


the day
is hot and
humid.
lemonade stands
litter the concrete.
two young women
wearing lipstick
sell icecream.
we get there early
and after
one
and a half
hours
it is
time to leave.
it feels
like we have been
there
for days,
caged
like the animals
trapped
and
restless
and
angry.