Poetry

Tourists and Tourists

The tourists assault the tourists:

“What language was that

(smile, attention—good wishes!)

you were speaking?

 

And where are you from?

Well, we’ll have to go there—

where we’re from…

do you speak our language?

 

Yes, it’s a beautiful city.

But you haven’t been there.

Some of our neighbors went

and well—they just got back!

 

You have to go.

Someday…but right now….”

One of the attacked party

waves and signals from a safe distance.

 

The rescue mission is performed

right under their noses!

“What strange people these are:

traveling, and yet not traveling,

 

can’t get a moment’s peace

away from interviews, statistics

and somebody else’s opinion

on comparative beauty…

 

they’re so lonely, lonely together—

what are we going to do?

Tell them, tell them anything—

say we’re just waiting out the rush hour.”

 

~David Francis

USA

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