Reflex

Reflex

"In London they drink tea.

In reflex, Paris drinks coffee."

While I watch an electric brain

     fault my system, more brains

reassemble it to better match

our data. Still we'll be born in DC.

     When I begin to swallow,

nextdoor, the child screams.

My throat opens. Closes

     —epiglottis as guillotine.

What If It Becomes Harder

To Collect Than To Pay?

          Child cries no more,

but my coffee sticks in my neck.

Throat closed in reflex, now,

opens. Yesterday, fans blew

to air out one flat, bleach at another,

          curry and garlic nextdoor. 

In post-war housing on Shirley High

way, Italian neighbors taught Mama

     to make spaghetti and order

pizza. Some of these days, gone crazy.

          What If It Becomes Harder

To Pay Than To Collect?

          Will I choke on reborn

data or stop drinking coffee?

When I begin to swallow,

     nextdoor, the child screams.

[personae]

Reflex

Post-war, housed on Shirley High

way, Italian upstairs taught Mama

     to make spaghetti and order

pizza. Some of the day gone crazy.

What If It Becomes Harder

To Collect Than To Pay?

"In London we drink tea.

In reflex, Paris drinks coffee."

While we watch an electric brain

     fault our system, more brains

reassemble it to better match

our data. Still we'll be born in DC.

     When we begin to swallow,

nextdoor, the child screams.

The throat opens. Closes

     —epiglottis as guillotine.

          Child cries no more,

but the coffee sticks in the neck

—throat closed in reflex, now,

opens. Yesterday, fans blew

to air out one flat, bleach, another,

          curry and garlic nextdoor. 

          What If It Becomes Harder

To Pay Than To Collect?

          Will we choke on unborn

data or stop drinking coffee?

When we begin to swallow,

     nextdoor, the child screams.

[first version]