Oblivious

Oblivious

The man's kneecap

spoke brilliantly one day

delivering a solidly political speech

to the blazing sun:

Sun, kneecap said,

since pants were invented

I've seen less and less of you—

Still, I enjoy catching a glimpse once in

awhile—on holidays at the beach

it makes me feel all warm inside

to know you're there

in case I'm ever exposed,

it's good for all things to have

their place, to know the universe is

orderly—A place for everything

and everything in its place, you know, but

tell me again… exactly what is it you do?

Sun replied:

I do my best, but as you point out

so vividly,

some innovations seem destined to

shut me out.

I'm beginning to feel a bit

unappreciated for all my work—

out of sight, out of mind, as they say.

Those jeans you're in are woven of

cotton I nourished to maturity for

months, the nutrients flowing

through your veins come from the plant

and animal life I've kept healthy for your use,

why, if I went away for even a fraction

of a second, you'd be stiff and brittle

as dry ice… by the way,

exactly what is it you do?

But just then, man decided to pray.

He hadn't for quite some time,

but sure enough, today, he knelt

to the ground and began:

Oh God above to whom I bend

bless my request

accept my thanks

for house and car and clothes and food

and music and love and wife and… for my dear

dog Douglass…

Thanks for the job I have

that keeps me and my family fed and warm

and saving up for college…

and please help the price of gasoline

to go down soon, way down

and thank-you for the discount stores

where we can buy our food and electronics

cheaply because of the power

of bulk buying

and help the US dollar to get back up there

where it ought to be

and help us to elect a good president to get rid of

terrorists and recessions

and to insure that we have great healthcare

good education and lower taxes…

Oh, and help those unfortunate people

who live far across the sea

in places where I've never been

but have seen on the evening news

for I'm certain that's exactly what you ever

endeavor to do.

And God lifted up his mighty hand

and answered man

by removing his pants

so that suddenly kneecap was skin to soil

with dirt

and American man was naked

as the children he'd seen

on the evening news

and sun grew brilliant

burning them all evenly

until they all prayed only for water and a little

shade.