What Rough Beast | Poem for December 4, 2018

David Dixon
MAKE AMERICA (the) GARDEN AGAIN

In another ending to the fable
the emperor is still buck naked

and his entire court is similarly
exposed. It is not a sight for the

faint-hearted nor a proper role
model for small children even

the one who says “but Mommy,
that’s a big shiny butt” for we

don’t even look anymore as
fake news becomes no news

and though no one will admit
to wearing no clothes or even

being garment challenged and
heaven only knows what sights

they might see in the mirror
there are those who say we

should make us all naked again
— like the good old days — like

before we exalted all we have
laid bare — before we polished

off the whole bowl of forbidden
fruit in one sitting — yes, back

to the very Garden perhaps
when one bite was too much

and agreeing on our ungodliness

we still could feel the shame



David Dixon is a physician, poet, and musician who lives and practices in the foothills of North Carolina. His poetry has appeared in Rock & Sling, The Northern Virginia Review, Connecticut River Review, FlyingSouth 2018, and elsewhere.

SUBMIT to What Rough Beast via our SUBMITTABLE site.