Can you hear me now? The voice, not in our ears,
but near, nearer than we can imagine.
We ask questions to assess the damage.
We avoid gluten but gorge upon fear.
This is the feast that increases famine.
Can you hear me now? The voice, not in our ears,
but in our throats, our ravening careers
forever ascending, forever crashing.
We ask questions to assess the damage;
we survey the scene, eyes dimming with tears.
How could it, we cry. How could it happen.
Can you hear me now? The voice, not in our ears
but scrawled, supine, across screens, across years
of serene surmise, counterfeit compassion.
We ask questions to assess the damage;
we nod at the answers, so calm & austere.
We see them coming, teeth like blades, flashing.
Can you hear me now? The voice in our ear,
polling for answers: electing the damage.
Gregory Crosby is the author of the chapbook Spooky Action at a Distance