American Charades Aught Three

Pretend to crank
an old-fashioned movie camera,
circling fist filming in black and
white
to watch the world a-warring.

Unfold hands
as if opening a book of prayer
and raise your eyes to God
         who blesses us
         with stretched and powerful palm.

Raise a certain finger
in caustic salute. Pretend to sing
an arrogant anthem, miming opera, rap or
requiem.

Make a sizing sign as if measuring a
fish. We are this big.

Bend your brows together
in consternation and point parental finger,
jabbing hard to prick
the players.

Draw a rectangle-outline television screen,
make quotation marks in the air,
and widen righteous eyes of
imitation innocence…

Pretend to pull the rope that opens
a theatre curtain. Let the sandbags
hang and sway.

Do a “karate
chop,” with heavy hand,
slice through the world stomp on the small stretch a piece of elastic beyond its
limit.

Cup one hand behind an ear -
sounds like: insanity.