tesla's hotel room

in the last days of wonder

when spirits still flew

where we sat holding hands

in half-darkened rooms

nicola tesla in the hotel new yorker

nursing sick pigeons by the open window

dreamed of a death ray to disintegrate matter

detected morse code from far away planets

he couldn't stand the touch of hair or of skin

but stroked feathers gently on trembling wings

drew plans for a camera to photograph thoughts

vacuum tube lights

wireless phones

in the last days of wonder

when spirits still flew

round bubbling test tubes

in half-darkened rooms

edison and westinghouse

in silk brocade

ate oysters rockefeller

with french champagne

but tesla grew thin

eating only saltines

going days in his lab

without any sleep

dreaming of god

as an x-ray beam

he was hit by a cab

while crossing the street

lying on his bedspread

he struggled to breathe

the light bulbs exploded

the air filled with wings

in the last days of wonder

when spirits still flew

tesla vacated

his half-darkened room