Ritual X. : The Evening Pair of Ales

Paul Blackburn

EAST OF EDEN

is mountains & desert

until you cross the passes into India .

It is 3 o’clock in the afternoon or

twenty of 8 at night, depending

which clock you believe .

AND WEST IS WEST

It’s where the cups and saucers are,

the plates, the knives and forks .

The turkey sandwich comes alone

or with onions if you like

The old newspaperman always takes his hat off

& lays it atop the cigarette machine;

the younger, so-hip journalist, leaves his on

old-style .

The old man sits down in the corner, puts

his hat back on. No challenge, but

it’s visible, the beau geste .

The cigarette

hangs from the side of the younger man’s mouth, he’s

putting himself on .

East of Eden is mountains & desert & every

thing creeps up on you & comes in the night,

unexpectedly .

when one would least put out his hand

to offer, or to defend .

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