Jersey City Saturday

The scene is quiet beneath the crane

with flag snapping from its extended arm

luxurious calm at the condo site

envisioned back when the boom was still on

cheap money and no-interest loans

Now the crews scramble to align

all the mirrors on the all-glass tower

gluing the facade into perfect short order

with luck the bust will bottom-out soon

Tourist Stop

black windowed busloads of Koreans

march quietly across the windy parking lot

they’ve come to tour the ruined railyards

from Jersey City’s industrial heyday

Rotting docks and rusted beam

where once the trains and ferries ran

now snap and click and off to Ellis

and Mrs. Liberty’s Isle

mind’s eye

don our plastic

mask our fear

costume orgy

once a year

on with gore

glam severe

third eye shining

pagan new year