Faceless
Past a certain point at night, when we are alone,
We become faceless.
Gracelessly surrendering our features
The stubby nose, the gentle gaze, the impish grin;
They dance behind us, beyond our vision -
Freed for the moment from the burden of being
In. When we cease to be what we do
Cease to be we, cease to be I, you, he
For a flatline moment pivoted
Into some empty hollow, the opposite of cosmic
Anonymity. The greyness of death.
The death of thought, of feeling,
Sucked into a hollow panel placed in front, viscous channel
The feed is delivered, pigs have no room
Even to shift their feet; they are frozen
Fresh cuts of meat on tomorrow's shelves.
But look to the horizon! A tiny, tremendous threat
Breaks the system, swine flu frees us all.
We become faceless.
Gracelessly surrendering our features
The stubby nose, the gentle gaze, the impish grin;
They dance behind us, beyond our vision -
Freed for the moment from the burden of being
In. When we cease to be what we do
Cease to be we, cease to be I, you, he
For a flatline moment pivoted
Into some empty hollow, the opposite of cosmic
Anonymity. The greyness of death.
The death of thought, of feeling,
Sucked into a hollow panel placed in front, viscous channel
The feed is delivered, pigs have no room
Even to shift their feet; they are frozen
Fresh cuts of meat on tomorrow's shelves.
But look to the horizon! A tiny, tremendous threat
Breaks the system, swine flu frees us all.