better to light a single flame
the rolling blackouts have started
and my building is dark
or will be
when the sun sets
no power for the two old ladies
who have lived there
since it was built
way, way back
in ‘59
not that they have A/C
or insulation
or even the magic
of cross-ventilation
(that’s not how they built things
in ‘59
no matter what anyone says
about the Good Old Days)
but there is no power for their fans
or their ancient refrigerators
or a light in the bathroom
so they can run a tub
of cold water
plenty of power on Wilshire, though–
can’t have those personal relocation devices
hitting each other
and they say
there’s so much power
at the mall
that the air-conditioned merchants
leave their doors open
to help cool
the shoppers
(nice merchants)
lately I swing
between wondering if this is the end of the world
and hoping it is
there would be a kind of satisfaction
in watching the wolves
set upon the drivers of SUV Nation
and the barons of McMansion Estates
and other members
of the Clueless Majority
stay here long enough
and you’ll know what I mean
unless you don’t
in which case, the wolves
will probably get you next…
that is
if they don’t take me out
on my way back from Peets
where I came to cool myself
with stolen dinosaur bones
and a strong sense of irony
xxx
c
Posted at 9:31pm. I’m home and so is Mr. Watts…for now.
Image by Spamily via Flickr, used under a Creative Commons license.
TOPICS: blackouts, conservation, consumerism, energy consumption, Environment, Poetry Thursday, Rants.
10 Comments, Comment or Ping
sandra
I’m sitting in front of a fan, typing AND watching TV. I am so part of the problem…
Jul 24th, 2006
Curtis M Sawyer
My car is low emissions and rarely driven.
I call the super for every dripping faucet or running toilet.
I close the blinds and turn off the lights and set the A/C for 79.
I fear no wolves.
Jul 25th, 2006
communicatrix
sandra - Alas, we are all part of the problem. I have five fans going in my place. That and cold, wet rags are the only thing keeping me propped up at the computer. Pray for a dip in temperature…
Curtis - you have A/C?
Jul 25th, 2006
Nina
We saw An Incovenient Truth on Saturday night just to escape that heat. How’s that for irony?
http://www.climatecrisis.net/
Jul 25th, 2006
Neil
I dragged my mattress into the living room, just so I could sleep under the air-conditioner.
I didn’t know you were such a good poet!
Jul 25th, 2006
Jessica Doyle
hmmm… cold coming out their front door while they spew all the hot air from the back door exhaust.
Your poem is beautiful.
Thank you for sharing your thaughts on living in the city. We have whole mountains and valleys of McMansion Estates here in Vancouver aptly named Monster Houses. They are almost becoming sadly the norm.
Jul 25th, 2006
Summer
I stumbled here via Brandon’s post about…I dunno…nipple pirates, maybe. Anyway, I just wanted to say: lovely poem. I am particularly fond of:
lately I swing
between wondering if this is the end of the world
and hoping it is
Jul 25th, 2006
Peggy Archer
Thankfully, I’ve so far avoided a blackout, but I think my neighborhood got upgraded transformers a few years ago after our DWP substation burned. The entire neighborhood was dark for almost a week.
I’ve been sitting in Borders and reading Charles Bukowski’s book “Hollywood”. Of course, I’m not going to pay for the book - I’m just reading, remembering which page I’m on and then picking it up next time I’m feeling in need of some A/C. Charlie would have approved, I think - except that Borders won’t let customers drink alcohol while browsing, so maybe he wouldn’t have.
I’m not the poet you are, but here’s my lame sort of on-topic attempt:
Gucci clad masses
too many cell phones
crystal-encrusted lives
Truly, oblivion must be bliss
The writings on the wall:
The same wall they’ll be up against
when the revolution’s
finally upon us
Jul 26th, 2006
Bon
Man, you are so fucking eloquent.
This was the closest I came to poetry about the heat. And you’re brilliant.
Jul 27th, 2006
communicatrix
Nina - I loved that movie. I also love being able to function in 93ยบ heat. I think even Mr. Gore would be cool (ha ha) with the AC in a theater, as long as it was full of people and not turned down so low we all needed sweaters. I mean, sweet baby jesus, did you catch the size of his house?!?
Neil - I didn’t either. I think as soon as the mercury drops, I’m going to go back to sucking eggs.
Jessica - You are too kind. And I am sad to hear of the McMansions creeping so far north. I’d been toying with Vancouver as a place to watch the world come to an end. Oh, well. Saskatchewan, perhaps.
Summer - that Brando and his nipple pirates. sheesh.
Peggy - Don’t kid yourself. Buk had the money lust that only comes from poverty. And come to think of it, that is a genius idea–a BAR bookstore!!!
Bon - don’t sell yourself short. I think the heat is making lots of new poets.
Jul 27th, 2006