Dial 911

(a poem set to music by Rick Kleffel)

Sing Along!

911, can I help you?

My ears hurt

From shattering cries

of suburban housewives

searching for spouses

among vengful ruins

on their TV screens



Operator, can you hear me

my eyes are blinded

by the urgent smoke

of propaganda shots

wrapped in ink of nations;

settling wounded scores


Mother, can you hear me

I reached out to you in ICU

I saw your towers fall

Ash and crumbled stone

around your heart

I'm holding your ventilator

Keep breathing