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  .