COVER TO COVER with Nina Serrano and Jack Foley
Wednesday, November 6, 2019, 3:00 –4:00 p.m., KPFA 94.1 FM
(available at the KPFA website)
These are the times that try men’s souls
And women’s too—may they try Trump
These times of rigs and rigmaroles
And, Darling, do you feel that lump?
These times of fear and daring, too
When forces of evil meet “The Squad”
And oh, the fearful hullabaloo
Goes all the way up to the ears of God
She (God) says, “Heavens, look to Me,
Don’t those people have any brains?
May Trump and Pence forever flee—
May Nancy Pelosi take the reins!
YEAH! May Nancy Pelosi take the reins!”
So opine Nina and Jack. And perhaps others too.
Nina writes,
Poem
Flame that burns in my heart
pumping the urge to fan the fires
and fulfill my desires
as strong as any wind
I’ve ever felt blow my hair
and the palm leaves in one direction
*
Climactic Conditions Condition You
Shaken awake last night by an earthquake
Today “Sheltered in place” by an oil refinery tank burning
“Close your doors and windows
You are under clouds of toxicity and smoke”
Last week we were told our electric power would be shut of
because of high winds and threat of fire
No light or refrigeration or electrically powered medical devices
Explanations and orders emanate from computer and TV screen
The night sky a backdrop for the silent moon
herself under threat of invasion and siege
…
Jack writes,
CALIFORNIA
wind bangs tree limbs against my roof
lament of the burned houses:
as if the trees suddenly revolted
we have souls, like you
as if the trees were aware
they scatter into ashes
of what we have done to them
and foul your air
over the centuries
MALOS AIRES
but I know
we house
this is only my fancy:
your most intimate possessions
I have heard of the evacuations, the vineyards, the foul air, the flames
they vanish with us
I know why my eyes are beginning to sting
into the dangerous wind
*
waiting for the axe to fall
waiting for the axe to fall
the bell to chime at midnight
the bell to chime at midnight
waiting for godot to finally show
waiting for godot to finally show
waiting for götterdämmerung
waiting for götterdämmerung
waiting for the kiss
waiting for the kiss
to reach the lips
to reach the lips
(the stretch of time between)
(the stretch of time between)
waiting for the murderer
waiting for the murderer
who you know is merciless
who you know is merciless
and who has you in his power
and who has you in his power
to do you in
to do you in
waiting for the age of anxiety
waiting for the age of anxiety
finally to end
finally to end
waiting for the apple
waiting for the apple
to fall to earth
to fall to earth
from the ancient tree
from the ancient tree
waiting for the white pill you have just swallowed
waiting for the white pill you have just swallowed
to do its work
to do its work
waiting for PG&E
waiting for PG&E
to turn it all off
to turn it all off