NEW YEAR
CBP VERSION


First workday of the year
Sent me right to secondary inspection
How flattering
My home away from home

Something strange
I feel
There’s pleasure
In el trabajo

How much is too good?
Is something ultra-good bad?
Is it sinful to have fun?

Diversion was
Always discouraged
By the desert teachers

But now it’s
So difficult to differentiate
Reality from supra-reality

Joyfulness a symptom
Something is wrong
Employment gets me
High on artificial happiness

I thought poetry
Was the door
Of sadness

Ohhhhhh
Mandatory breakfast stop
Images of frighten cattle
And nonchalant K9’s

I thought I saw
Agent Eirey walking
Looking for his soul
On the pavement

You can’t help but
Sympathize with some
Of these fellows
Like Agent Dominguez
Who gave me a heartfelt apology
As he walked next to me car
Towards the Garage

But I looked for Agent Airey again
To see if he is still
Feeling butterflies
In his gut

You can tell this
Is happening when their
Eyes dance vertically
And horizontally
Usually a
Reliable prediction
For tears

No-more Airey
Last time he was walking
Towards those concrete boxes
That look like kilns
Where they sell
Tickets (permits)
To amused tourists
The type that
Get off
When spooked

This is better than Disneyland
When you give
The orange paper
To the gatekeeper
He opens the door
And there’s
A free-way
In front of you
Then the next level
The better ride begins