Uncle History visits an old haunt
And thinks, things look OK
People appear contented
New buildings have risen
And by god the restaurants
Are better
There’s a new kind of fun alright
He’s reminded of a Roman snob
Who carried a silver toothpick
He remembers
Potemkin’s village
But that was easy
He remembers
A quote—
“Properly cared for
A Saville suit
Can be handed down
For generations—like gout…”
He can’t recall
Who said it
A boy with a funny hat
Glides past
On an electric scooter
And wearing noise canceling headphones
He remembers Hawthorne:
“Some maladies
Are rich and precious,
And only to be acquired
By the right of inheritance
Or purchased with gold.”
He thinks he knows where the gold
Is coming from
Then he doesn’t
Then he does…
Planet of the Blind 