Poems at Bargain Prices (by Peter Horn)

Poem 2 of 8 in "Salvaged from Coreys" Volume 3 Issue 1

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POEMS AT BARGAIN PRICES (A South African poem from the 1970's)

Poems? You want poems? We got poems!

Poems to make you dream
While the rulers of the country are busy.
Poems to send you asleep
While they test their tanks and their guns.

We got poems.

Poems for you and your afternoon sleep.
Poems which do not disturb you nor
The quiet of a Sunday afternoon,
When the sermon in the morning was comforting
And the chicken at lunch was tasty.

We got poems.

Ah, you sleep?
May you wake in peace!
Because we got other poems.
Poems which will disturb you
With announcements of bloodshed,
War, atrocities, atomic bombs, and jails.
Jails, visible from the window
Of your peaceful bedroom
Whenever you open the blinds.

Poems.
You do not want to hear these poems?

They will come to you nevertheless.

---(Peter Horn)---

From his 1974 book “Walking Through our Sleep”, published by Ravan Press

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