City of the Future
It’s the kind of town glaciers retreat from
while asphalt melts in the summer sun
cigarette butts flop in concentric circles
every third shop is closing down
queues outside the WINZ on Grey Street
not enough rosary beads for all our sins
a suit someone saw once said
there’s work at AFFCO if you’re clean
I can’t hear them I’m so high
school closed for earthquake strengthening
but Kmart seems to be doing fine
the hospital is bursting at the seams
hardiplank or asbestos
Cody’s seven percents by day
there’s a shooting on Poets’ Corner
that never makes the network news
officially, the city’s safer
we sit around in Nan’s garage
sipping bourbon bought for her
she’ll take our drink to the grave
the bus stop is too far to walk
the TV’s probably still on fire
we’ve got our car on hire-purchase
you know we’re not going far.
