NEW MANSIONS

Canadian geese
floating on a manmade
retention pond
tranquil backdrop
to new money
pretty lady
three seats in front of me
reading "Greed"
as we clackity clack
through it
or maybe it's all
for our children
plow under the unrefined
and the overgrown
to build prettier memories
for them
or is it
kidding ourselves
a little lie
make a wilderness
or prop up a paradise
around our press board
manisions
that we can hardly afford
I've seen this place a thousand times
and it never feels like home
not like Dekalb does
though it has its share of
self deception
and not like London did
or like New Mexico did
or Killorglin
or 4 hours on Hollywood Blvd
Each place has its own lies
I'm certain of that
in all these places
in all their new mansions
on old frontiers
in all their manmade
retention ponds.