ODE FOR AN INSTITUTION

(Larry Taylor)

 

SHALL I RECOUNT MY TALE TO THEE,

OR SIMPLY LEAVE IT TO HISTORY?

ONCE I WAS A REPUTABLE SLAUGHTER-HOUSE,

WITH BLOODY ACTIVITIES PERFORMED THERE ROUTINELY.

THEN CAME THE DAWN OF THAT WELL-KNOWN RECESSION,

A PROPELLANT OF AN OVERWHELMING OBSESSION,

BROUGHT AN END TO MY FLAME,

INITIATED BY HUES AND CRIES FROM MORTALS WHO FOREVER BLAME.

THOUGH RECOVERY HAS PAINFULLY BEEN SLOW,

WITH INTERNAL DISRUPTIONS,

IN RELENTLESS AND HAPHAZARD FASHION,

BREAKING-AND-TEARING-AND-THROWING AWAY,

MEASURING, MENDING, AND MOULDING, WITH METICULOUS PASSION.

HENCE EMERGES A NEW ORDER – FISH, CHICKEN, FRUIT & VEGETABLES,

INTERNAL GOINGS-AND-COMINGS,

IN PURSUIT OF FOOD, FRIENDSHIP, OR EXQUISITENESS,

OR IN SEARCH OF ENTERTAINMENT,

FURTIVE ACTS IN THE EVASION OF SOLITUDE, BOREDOM, OR BOTH,

MAINTAINING THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT I HAVE BECOME,

SUPPRESSING FEARS THUS OF YET ANOTHER EVOLUTION.