A Postcard from Minneapolis

“Lots of ghosts, cars and junk
but strangely little history
here in old America...” And then swiftly on
to all your favourite whinges.
“Don’t wanna be here. Don’t even drink beer...”

But as your card to me shot
postmarked from the machine
- September 10th 21.53 - an alarm-clock
somewhere was being well and truly set.
Luggage. Tickets. Everything ready. A man
muttering something in Arabic. And soon
floating in from a neighbouring room:
‘This is the ten o’clock news.’

Then from Greenwich Village to San Diego
the streets slowly emptying, until
- everything standing momentarily still -
America’s a movie set, with actors
everywhere waiting for the man
to shout: ‘Lights. Camera. Action!’