The White House



Pahn has gone back east again
to the capitol

He is in a courtroom       
     The judge is Anthony Hopkins
                 Pahn is annoyed with the proceedings
                    and expresses his opinion

The judge tells him                  
                        that his opinion is not wanted
Pahn says something rude                        
and steps out

                 into an opulent room
                   of colonial furniture
                              polished
                                         and rounded

Pahn is looking for a stair         
He climbs one flight
           expecting to go higher
                     but comes to a dead-end
realizing
                               that there are only two stories

He returns to the opulent room
to find another passage

He descends                               
and climbs again
                 to a hall full of children
                                                and scooters

They are happy                        
        and noisy 
riding in every direction at there play        
           watched over                
by a teacher

The hall leads outside            
   to the back grounds           
     not so well kept                
       like a vacant lot        
                      or waste area

                        Pahn climbs the hill                                            
   and looks back               
                            beyond the playing children
          wondering       
                  at the color and condition
                of the White House
                                    green as a pine tree
                                           the old boards warped

He has gotten a job there now  
An old man     
shows him to his room

They go into the far end
                              of the house     
                        like a tenement
                                                                        the servants quarters
                        sagging off
                        toward the river

They go onto the roof           

Here the old man sets down Pahn’s bags
                                               
He tells Pahn   
                                             that it will be covered with tarps
                                 to make a shelter
explaining        
                                            that this is where the artists live



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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


Some of these poems originally appeared in the following publications

Avocet
Dream International Quarterly
mojo risin'
The Muse Apprentice Guild (The MAG)
Transfer

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