the measuring stick

so, what are you reading now,
what's on your nightstand, which
books do you favor, or need
to get before the year is done,
and where have you traveled,
what countries, what cities
have you slept in and bathed
in their water, immersed your
self in their food and culture,
oh, and do you have a new car,
which one, is it black with
all the trimmings, and that
house, that neighborhood you
moved to, how are the schools,
how is the community, the leaders,
the fences, are they high
and thick to keep out the riff
raff. tell me about your beach
house, or the diet you are on,
your doctor, your lawyer,
what is that watch you're wearing,
is that rolex? are you green,
are you ladling soup down at
the shelter, are you picking
up trash on the street you
sponser? did your daughter
get into the right school? what
kind of dog is that, i've
never seen a dog like that
before around here. oh my.
so how will you spend your six
weeks off this year? paris,
rome, greece, perhaps barcelona,
no? who's your decorator and
where can i get a painting
like that. is the artist dead
yet. it'll be worth so much more.