Tv Morning News Poem by RIC BASTASA

mostly bad,
if you take it seriously
it will be
too depressing as
though the
world
is not livable anymore

what with
markets crashing

new middle east rising
leaders toppling
down
icons burned
stone monuments
shattering

what with floods in
Thailand
earthquakes in Taiwan
and turkey
tsunami in japan

eternal strife in Israel
and Palestine

demonetization
devaluation of the
the mighty dollar

china rising
japan and Russia
conniving

change of guards
off-white
yellow sheen
black gleaming
brown buffer

you shiver upon
a scrambled egg
and cold coffee
and oily fried rice
at the hotel that
accepts only
the local currency
as mode of
payment

credit cards here
dishonored
we accept only cash
the sign flashes
again into
your mind


change, change
there will be changes
on this trip to
Jerusalem
game

choose well
where you're in
and when you're out

analyze the fence
master the north star
rule
do not be too convinced
about the
normalcy syndrome

be cautious
take the leopard's eye
the talent of the
chameleon

do not follow the pack
of wolves

cover your nose
before you jump

the storm is coming
umbrellas have no use.