people we knew 

became impossible to be around

they said the unsaid 

and the unsayable

with the ease of torturers

in an unsound world

while we put out the fires

of arsonists on the planet

who lit the lie or

maybe the flat upstairs

or a round in the pub

or the trash on the corner

people we knew

became impossible to be around

they traveled the globe

screaming about plastic

they slid through the crowd to 

plant a wet kiss on your neck

like a souvenir they found 

impossible to replace if lost or damaged

fires still burned

worms still turned

most of us don't remember

self-styled progressives

people we knew

became impossible to be around

they lied about the moonlight

like raccoons in death throes

if I didn't remember it

i would never have known

we ventured into the cold light of day

furred and gnawing from undercover

people we know put out the fires

striding into might in the cold light of day

people we know

in the cold light of day

Artist: Vija Celmins