fall of the roman empire

she says on the phone,
calling from her job
at the white house.
so what are you doing
home all day, writing,
goofing around?
you tell her that you
have no work. it's finally
all dried up. if any thing
the economy is worse than
it ever was. the election
certainly didn't help
things one bit. oh, fiddle
dee dee, she says, don't go
blaming the economy on
him. he's doing the best
he can. it's the last guy
who caused this mess
we're in. that was five
years ago, you tell her,
taking out a magic marker
to write on the cardboard
sign you're making.
it takes time, she says,
rome wasn't built in a day.
rome? and where exactly
is the roman empire today,
you ask her. i don't know,
she says, i'm not good
with geography. Italy?
well, tell me this,
you ask her, what sounds
better? will work for food,
or I will work for food.
also, should i say god bless,
or will that offend
the atheists and agnostics?
hmmm, she says. not sure,
but i would use colorful
markers and a white board,
seems like everyone is
going with that old
black marker on brown
cardboard, be inventive!
got to go, lunch time. bye!