RETURN OF THE VALKYRIES


The Return of the Valkyries






I shall get right to the point,
Now we are all on a quarantine order of isolation and reclusion, thank God the cable is still on. 
It says The Return of the Valkyries in the news caption on every channel,
and then the screen fades to white noise (damn, not again)
Bitterly in lock down we are climbing the walls to suppress our memories about the tents
appearing out of nowhere on the judgment day.
Quiet as vowed monks. So more stories don’t spread.  Someone said.

In all of Greater Germania
They have installed a poeme reader in the corner of every living room.
Waste of government money, I say.
I say, who listens to poetry anyway?
Violating the rules because I know my everymove video recorder is broken (again)
I slip quietly out the back kitchen door into the stairwell
To make a run for some Skittles and Iced Tea
and a caviar, cottage cheese and cigarette sandwich -
At the caviar cottage cheese cigarette sandwich kiosk down the corner
…almost imperceptibly I hear
The metal clicks
simultaneously serendipitously seemingly in unison
to a metal 3 floors down in the prewar building with cold floors and iron doors and no elevator
And destiny is devilishly planning a not again migrant meeting

I hear echoing laughing arm & arm giggling in the happiness of blond bells
I think I say with regret to myself I know who that is
Echoing up the cold dark well is the famous Miss Germany, Lily White,
And the First Runner Up, Pearlie.
Recounting fantasies in their babbling native tongue with all them syllables
that I pretend I don't understand
they climb the stairs to happiness as I quietly descend with a crave
more powerful than the urge to turn around....

Step by step we are in marching time on the brisk german morning
up step by step down step
In the bright german sunshine filtered through the bulletproof windows
but it is still dark in the well and I am dark and they don't hear me talking to myself.
In the shadow is approaching unreasonably persistent fear
is echoing the mirth of dueling giggles driving me mad
And reminding me I am alone in my right to remain silent (the Ugly American)
and around the corner in the landing we all meet
And the babbling of the giggling bells stops sharp and arms drop and hold close their purses
Furrows frown below the beauty crown (this is german sun, for germans)
instead of a kind good morgen smile.

Again.

Sliding over to give me as much space to pass without possibly touching me
in the newfound silence
Miss Germany has to hold the cool damp rail
and thinks I am so ugly I am making her skin crawl
But looks and is shocked frozen feeling the fleshy trudging of the rubbery valkyries
on the same hand as the new engagement ring
and in slow motion (why slow motion?)  but no scream
clutching the Runner Up in horror who turns to look to me for help,
for an answer to the question:  WHO WILL HELP SAVE MISS GERMANY?
but I am already gone.
Down, probably two steps ahead. Rehearsing.



Getting my story straight because I know they will make a report later





Tony Wynn
Berlin
Dispatches of the Ugly American
20.11.2013



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