Two Poems

Bruno Anthony

Compact History Of

The adventure begins, like so much else,
in the garden of the hopelessly naïve.
Fewer angels than expected have arrived.

Along the way, disturbing incidents:
an appeal to the Holy Office, which
refers the matter to Central Planning.

Let’s not be too literal about this.
Thieves in the night behave like squirrels, who also
have reasons to doubt our generosity.

And so we go on, treading the big wheel.
Dreams make the warp while the woof has always
meant contention between wolfhounds and pugs.

Eventually it leads to Management,
cosmetic surgery, and a surfeit
of personal electronics. Selah.

So we go, through someone else’s Utopia,
marveling at the dis-and dot-com dogma
so different from the girders of the past.

Enjoy it all, the apple and the fall,
before time packs its tongue in leaves and ash.

Excerpts From the Government Performance Coalition’s Open Letter to the President Elect and the Trial Transcript of Gilles de Rais

The meeting will begin promptly at nine
he says and deposes, to gently twist
high visibility management issues.

The meeting will formulate objectives
within a comprehensive agenda
of electronic initiatives and

nocturnal emissions. Representatives
must be fully committed to expected
debauches on said day. Next slide, please.

There are of course risks. Some goals will not be
a more robust, coordinated approach to
indecencies committed in conjunction
with traditional approaches: witchcraft,
program research and evaluation,
sometimes committed his pleasures

before wounding them, but that was rare. You
should demand high performance while granting
his said rod or virile member against

the flexibility they need to reform
with great delight, with ardor, your
success depends in large part on your people

with libidinous concupiscence until
you drive your policy goals down into
the system emitted on their bellies.

The meeting will begin promptly. You who
are present – you, above all, whose children
will give you the loyalty and commitment

I am your brother in Christ. By Our Lord’s
mission accomplishment, I implore you,
pray for me. Light refreshments will be served.