Banks, Etc.

Banks, etc. are very careful -

Thick walls protect them from the dusty dragon Street,

Thick lenses from the exigencies of strangers,

They are mistrustful of dust

And even more of sleekness: what they like's

Neutrality, non-being, ciphers, death,

They have to know you;

Their existence is founded upon the principle of suspicion,

And therefore they are churches of a sort.

They are more inaccessible than forts and certain parlors,

Do not yield easily to force or strategy,

And yet there is a certain way to enter them.

One has to have

A certain sympathy, affinity for ledgers,

Signature-files, and ciphers, ciphers.

It is a private, Baptist-barring thing,

A Jesuitical attraction:

Shielded, identification-asking eyes

Recognize a tomb-mate, blink, are satisfied.