Donald Illich

 

 

 

The City

 

Cars are forced to the periphery, and

pedestrians are invited to wander.

Fires will burn tonight as sure as winter

is coming. A little blue house spouts a thin,

gray plume of smoke from its chimney. Let me

just say for the record that grout is a

wonderful thing. It makes a not so hot

tile job look pretty darn good. The word "square"

does not have the same meaning. It has a

heavy patina that I have not changed

in any way. Warming the house with a live

fire, I expect to wake up tomorrow.

This old metal ashtray is either brass

or bronze. I know it is non magnetic.

This death precipitated the Battle of

Big Mound. There is a marker on the site.

 

The business and the pace of the city

slows. It measures 7 x 5 x 3.5

inches. Edgewater was originally

a summer resort. The lingering scents

of wood smoke serve as punctuations or

pauses in the street plan. This looks like a

Pharaoh, is now standard equipment in newer

poultry houses, was erected by the people.

The sheer force of growth wiped the old gathering

spots off the map, used by immigrants.

A slave gallery and stately old fashioned

pulpit offer a reminder of what the

entire city once looked like. A cold front

rolls in. It is not too surprising. This is

the Paris of Madeline, and of our dreams.

 

 

 

 

Ancient Wisdom

 

We work harder to get you the things you want.

Now the spirit of man loves purity,

 

but his mind disturbs it. We use bubbled air,

bubble wrap. The floral fizzes look good

 

enough to eat. We try jolly hard

to get your order turned round. The mind of man

 

loves stillness, but his desires draw it

away. We provide examples of star gates

 

and wormholes in the ancient world the same day

so you can enjoy next day delivery.

 

The wisdom of our ancestors frequently

puzzles modern people. We have a winning

 

attitude and we expect the same from our

clients: prayer which is sent forth into the world.

 

 

 

 

Ghost Immunities

 

The "deep mystery" of melted steel.

Here comes a rain cloud. Water beats fire.

 

These were years of billowing smoke.

The torch will make the flame design flicker.

 

And the secret of steel, used to fire

a home barbecue. Smelting iron ore.

 

Years of great mystery: Will dad find another

job soon? Are we poor now? The main exit

 

near the fire was blocked. A source of

conflict in the city. The alarm goes off

 

in the middle of the night. The many

immunities Ghost has covered up are

 

contained under pressure in a cylinder.

Wishful thinking. Middle shift and layoffs.