Kulturbarer

by Dan Smith

For Robert

An abortive attempt to reconcile
East and West,
A selfish tale 
Thrust an innocent narrative into a spotlight undeserved
(The fool is just a man after all)
Shining brightly, guided by unworthy hands into the sun.

Steel is a mental phenomenon
Prime thoughts,
"a seamless continuum of the material and metaphysical."
All life an alloy comprised of carbon and self-righteousness,
Instincts of preservation and perpetuation
Hijack thoughts and impel wills.

An analysis of the infinitely misinterpreted influence
Of the shepherd,
The voracious flock ebbs
Then flows,
Only to ebb unwittingly onto greener pastures,
Farther into a future of consumption
Repeatedly cautioned against
By vehement crook.

No "quality" can be defined without
Uttering its namesake
(Let alone taught)
And no number of miles
Nor lessons
Nor seizures
Can resurrect a murdered son.

With an insatiable hunger
The machine will demand to be fed.