Cappelbaum Mows the Lawn
the weeds have choked the life from this town
Cappelbaum stares out at the horizon
criscrossed by railroad tracks
dotted by brothels
the town turns away its pockfaced countenance
and Cappelbaum begins his work
first things first he grabs by the scalp
his iewish roots and yanks
barookh ata adonai eloheinu melekh ha—
next with a swift motion
he runs the Rasenmäher over the lawn
mowing down time past and time present
a dog comes running with good news in her teeth
Cappelbaum pays no heed
he fills bag after bag with moist earth
letting the blades of grass stand
then on the blades he places his weight
what does the grass tell him
it pricks Cappelbaum's face
but he does not bleed
it tickles his pits
but he does not laugh
a century past
somewhere at the lake of the deer
Cappelbaum's wife dances in an oracular daze
jumps over a bonfire
back in this town the lilies grow
in droves behind the house
"i think I'll mow them down announces Cappelbaum
he puts on his gardening gloves
stained by the bark of trees
the sky says nothing