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Order this writing in the Charlie Newman May 2010 cc&d poetry collection book “Deckard Kinder/ Charlie Newman” |
 
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The Line
Charlie Newman
Let me tell you about the line:
the line goes out the door and down the street and around the corner and across
the intersection and through the neighborhood and over the city limit into the
county and the state and the region and the country and the continent and
around the world in 80 days and beyond the blue horizon and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line shuffles and mumbles and grumbles and gripes and groans and moans and
cries and screams and wishes and swells and prays and grows and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line moves like death moves like marrow moves like history moves like a
victim moves like spent thunder moves like disappointment moves like a civil
servant moves like absolute zero moves like the moment of conception moves
like the flying fickle finger of fate moves like everything you see through the
wrong end of eternity’s looking glass moves and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line is in like Flynn
the line is free as a bee
the line is here for the beer
the line is over in the clover
the line is made in the shade
the line is spent like the rent
the line is ready to go steady
the line is achin’ for a breakin’
the line is cruisin’ for a bruisin’
the line is reelin’ with the feelin’ and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line forms where dreams of glory wither and failure grows like dandelions
the line forms when you turn your back and your blood grows cold
the line forms if what you see is what you get and all you want is all there is
the line forms the history of man and the fiction of fact
the line forms to the right and
Let me tell you about the line
the line is a dotted line...a dashed line...a disappearing line in the sand
the line is a long way from St. Louie...a long walk on a short pier...a long little
doggie
the line is a little spot on the lung of civilization...a little bit of flim flam from
the man and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line stays and the line goes
the line appears and the line disappears
the line cheats and the line steals
the line gobbles souls like a demon on a mission from the god of Dick Cheney’s
pre-compassionate capitalism and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line dances a ballet on your last nerve and
the line stops when and where it wants to stop and
the line looks into your non-negotiable heart and
the line listens to your soap opera prayers and
the line dumpster dives your desires and
the line wins one for the gipper and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line was written by some faceless nameless drone
the line was swallowed with a hook and a sinker
the line was here yesterday and you were in it
the line will play you like the fish you are
the line will settle old scores with new wars and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line ain’t smart and
the line ain’t stupid and
the line ain’t what it used to be and
the line ain’t about to make any changes you’ll be thrilled with and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line has no heart and no soul and no conscience and
the line has all the patience in the known universe and
the line has you covered 5 ways from Friday, Amigo, and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line makes sure you are there in the beginning and
the line sees to it that you are there at the end and
Let me tell you about the line:
the line is all there is and there ain’t nothin’ but the line
