THE MOST POST*
Crenelated and twisted, as if
some architecture by Gaudi
had right now come to life, I
tried to look back from where
I'd just come. The strange form
of the Municipal Center, still dogging
my thoughts, seemed less a foil than
feint. How buildings can always deceive!
And inside, I already knew, those cheap
careerists with three-dollar ties and
bargain-bin suits try reading their
updates and bulletins and codes, they
still stood around probably yet gawking
at girls - the ones fresh from high school
last year, who'd gotten the job through a
family connection, that old battered aunt
who clerked for the judge, or the uncle who
stamped overtime tickets. Now they were
stuck in some far, other land - buying tight
suits and low-cut blouses to wear to work,
just to enliven the guy with the pen case,
bring him to life, otherwise a jerk. Egad!
What a stilted paltry life we can lead when
given first to choose. No brain of distinction;
nothing to bring forth the new flowers with
new petals of gold or new blossoms
of silver and silk.
Crenelated and twisted, as if
some architecture by Gaudi
had right now come to life, I
tried to look back from where
I'd just come. The strange form
of the Municipal Center, still dogging
my thoughts, seemed less a foil than
feint. How buildings can always deceive!
And inside, I already knew, those cheap
careerists with three-dollar ties and
bargain-bin suits try reading their
updates and bulletins and codes, they
still stood around probably yet gawking
at girls - the ones fresh from high school
last year, who'd gotten the job through a
family connection, that old battered aunt
who clerked for the judge, or the uncle who
stamped overtime tickets. Now they were
stuck in some far, other land - buying tight
suits and low-cut blouses to wear to work,
just to enliven the guy with the pen case,
bring him to life, otherwise a jerk. Egad!
What a stilted paltry life we can lead when
given first to choose. No brain of distinction;
nothing to bring forth the new flowers with
new petals of gold or new blossoms
of silver and silk.
[*from 'Iolanthe' - "The constitutional guardian I/of pretty young Wards in Chancery,/All very agreeable girls - and none/Are over the age of twenty-one./A pleasant occupation for/a rather susceptible Chancellor!"]
No comments:
Post a Comment