First printed in Inner Weather 1986
A major malfunction happened
on my black and white t. v. today.
Did you see it?
Where were you?
She crawled over the trunk
in her pink dress today,
small white pieces of her husband's brain on her pink dress today.
Did you see it?
Were you in Dallas today?
Two U. S. ships were hit in the Tonkin bay,.
Chet Huntley told about'it
on the black and white today.
The only excuse we needed to say,
"That's it, we've had, they'll have to pay."
Were you there
in the House on the Hill today?
A small lie on the t. v. tonight.
Mr. Kissinger told it
through the Prince, the white knight.
He pointed to a map at the Parrot's beak tonight,
looking unimpressive in shades of black and white.
Only six weeks we were told, "Until we find the trail of Ho.
And you bought it? Did you see the hole on the t. v. today?
A minor malfunction in Ohio today,
kids face to face but not for play.
"Your daddy hates, " one was heard to say.
And the toy guns were loaded in Ohio today.
Did you see it, were you there?
It was on the news;
I'm surprised you missed it.
A minor malfunction in the, desert today.
Dust in the carburetor of the choppers they say.
Peanut man tried, surprisingly so.
Someone should have stopped it, someone should have said, "No.
Dianne Sawyer told me,
in the dawns early light,
"It's been aborted, cancelled, the hostages sleep
in Iran tonight."
Tonight in the North Atlantic they did the Eagle Rock,
but not Jack Johnson
he stayed on the dock.
"it's a good ship, a technological advance,
the captain assured the public
and the passengers at the dance.
A major malfunction happened
on my black and white today.
Did you see it?
Where were you?
Eight miles out over the sea
when all the sudden there was nothing but debris.
A marvel of science for the world to see,
electronically shattered on my black and white t.v.
Dave Gibson
Living a Life of Zen
All is not as it seems. Step out of your comfort zone. The veil has been torn. What you see is a reflection of yourself.