red cow
Singer:mewithoutyou
before the red sea flood beneath a cornhusk dawn
we bid the elkhorn run to a locomotive psalm
until the pale horse comes along a rail withdrawn
we bid the elkhorn run until the red cow comes
with thoughts and hooves divided
and on the arid ground of thirsty zion's hill
cold waters tumbled down where the staff of moses fell
what picture holds us now?
behold the snake of brass
the wind was blowing backwards
o for the land we knew before the frogs withdrew
in the fragrant pomegranate blooms where the tender locust flew
behind the milk-white tombs
behind the milk-tank cars
we passed the north platte yard on silver tracks unguarded
out past the sambar herds
in the rust of open wagons
lo! the blessed virgin's likeness
we watched the green figs fall from the nebraska sky
how much were even passive things responsive to our watchful eye!
and let there be no doubt: so many figs and pictures hold us
in the wells of livestock vans with shells and garden sands
iron mixed with oxygen as per the laws of chemistry and chance
a shape was roughly human
it was only roughly human
apparition eyes apparition eyes knock apparition knock eyes apparition eyes
was he a violent man? well
he had his genocidal moments. or penned by fiction's hand? to whom could that phrase not apply?
how much are even lifeless sounds responsive to our listening ear!
or jew or picture holds us here?