dull twilight spits hesitant sulphur rain

sky been down around our ears for weeks

only once -- gap-glimpsed moon over that anal-retentive border wall

as we laughed through some midnight checkpoint under yellow urban cloud



weeks of frantic motion -- petrol veins of europe pumping

through scratchy acid-bitten transparent winter trees

through brownish haze that makes a ghost of the horizon

i'm rushing after some ever-receding destination



berlin tonight

table-dancing in black tights

waving a silver crutch in the blue lights

shapechanging over glass

on the front line of the last gasp



green shoots of winter wheat and patches of snow

russian walks dog in saxon field

from the top of a solitary tree like the one on the flag of lebanon

unblinking eye of hawk follows traffic on the autobahn



tank convoy winds down smokestack valley

pround chemical pennants wave against the sky

turret gunner laughs when i throw up my hands

i'm all glasses and grin to him under my "commie" fur hat



berlin tonight

table-dancing in black tights

waving a silver crutch in the blue lights

shapechanging over glass

on the front line of the last gasp



(2 GERMANIES, 2/85)