Poetry Should Hijack The Bus

Poetry should tag the bus
bring the blind to demand a more scenic route
inspire the driver to announce the next stop
in iambic pentameter
push passengers to traverse the rows
with a verse on HMOs
& entice morning commuters to call in sick
for the year

Poetry should get Billy Graham to slam grace before dinner
choke Julia Child until she serves Kentucky Fried Chicken
make Miss Manners lick her greasy fingers
& finger lick her goods
& inspire Martha Stewart to convert
the Colonel's greasy red-striped bucket
into a lamp shade
for her prison cell

Poetry should fire a cannon through the canon

Poetry should paint the pentagon pink
streak the inaugural ball
sprinkle truckloads of Jell-O powder
into the reflecting pool
dump soggy corn flakes on the white house lawn
& leave a flaming bag of dog doo at W's door
ring the bell & run
for office

Poetry should kiss everyone who stands at your side
& cane everyone who stands in the way

Poetry should conduct sensitivity training
at Abercrombie & Fitch with a whip
& bleach everything they sell
white as their Board of Directors

Poetry should jolt Jill Scott into swearing
with Gil Scott-Heron
dare D'Angelo & Maya Angelou
to duel banjos at open mic
demand LeAnn bust a rhyme
make Yo-Yo, Yo-Yo Ma & yo mama yodel
over a lambada
sell Celene Dion on songs
about Martin Espada, the Intifada & the whole enchilada
& convince 2Pac to come out of hiding

Poetry should propel baby boys to rebel at their bris
& bring bruised wives to borrow Lorena Bobbitt's knives

Poetry should push rush hour traffickers
to pull over on the next exit ramp
compose an ode to road rage
recycle their sport futility vehicles
board the bus
& hijack any silence with a haiku