notebook (poem): circa 1986

D.C.

then
i
realized
it
wasn't
a
question
of
history
repeating
itself

just
an
old
movie
cranked
up
to
begin
again

the
crooked
man
at
the
top
his
wife
more
ruthless
than
he
is
innocent
children
with
dolls
in
their
hands
are
shot
the acerbic
poet
shakes
his
head