Rough Draft of a New Poem

Dystopia

It sounds like something Tums might fix, but it’s really

a popular topic for movies and books. How long can it be

before there’s a ride in some theme park where grubby,

goggled survivors with sawed-off shotguns charge

terrified patrons who barely escape. Then, laughing

and relieved, emerge into a recognizable world of fresh

air and lemonade and uniformed employees pointing

to other attractions. The Tunnel of Love, for example,

with its swan boats. And the corresponding Tunnel

of Hate with its disorderly lines and cruel attendants

shouting, “Shut up! Shut up and sit down if you know

what’s good for you!”