Publisher's Synopsis
I can only hope that I have captured in these poems the essence of our times, and of the world known as Washington DC. Washington DC has an awe effect on tourists, visitors and new arrivals; all of them think that they are in "DC Land." They only see our nation's capitol as a magic kingdom containing only the White House, the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, and let us not forget all the wonderful museums of the Smithsonian. This magic kingdom is expected to be inhabited by all of the famous characters that are easily recognized from the nightly news: the President and all of the Democrat and Republican Senators, and the diplomats. In this book of poetry I have tried to break through the surface of this image of our Nation's Capitol as a political amusement park inhabited by unreal characters. This book is split into five parts. Part I is your arrival and initial simplistic view of DC Land with only a hint of what is below the surface. Part II is your everyday commute to and from this wonderful world with all the rides available to you. Part III is where you yourself become one of the many characters living and working in DC Land. Part IV takes you deeper into the meaning of our Nation's Capitol, and questions the meaning of our very existence. Part V was originally intended as the final chapter about those who really do exist on all our Main Streets; all just trying to make it through the day. Most of them not looked at or even worse ignored. The Epilogue is that one moment of silence that stopped all of us dead in our tracks, the one moment in time that brought all of us together into a new reality of the world around us. The moment so many of us stopped and looked up into the heavens and asked, "Why?" Just like so many others, I too could see the dark clouds of smoke billowing over DC Land, from the Pentagon on 911. PREFACE / WELCOME TO DC LAND Do not judge what I write, sit back, and come along for a poetic ride. This is a trip through our National Capitol. Where better to voice what I see around me? Where better to make a social commentary Then here in DC Land? For this is the reality of not just here For this could be most anywhere. The people, the places, they are all real. None made up, or unreal. I have met them in the streets, On the sidewalks, buses, and Metro. Neither Presidents nor politicians, Just plain people, all around me. Some better than others, many worse off, But all sojourning through DC Land. Please read these words with meaning. I hope you get a deep down inside feeling When you read about this place, and all these people around me. Welcome to Washington, The District of Columbia. THE REAL WASHINGTON EXPERIENCE Rush them in! Rush them out! Gotta go! National Cathedral! That's! what it's all about! March them in! Line them up! Gotta go! Top of Washington Monument! Quickly! Quickly! March them out! Next stop! Most important documents in our country's history! It's what they came here to briefly see! Up! Up! Up the steps! Quickly! Quickly! March them up! Line them up! All 47 from the bus! Gotta go! Declaration! Constitution! Barely legible! Barely Visible! Behind Unclear Green Glass! Don't touch the glass or brass! I said! Don't touch the brass! QUICKLY! OTHERS HAVE TO SEE IT! What's that document? Over there? No time to explain! Behind schedule! Just the Magna Carta! That's all! Quickly! Quickly! March them out! Gotta go! Next Stop! Air and Space Museum! Space Capsules! Planes! Enola Gay! Get in buses! Get out buses! Fifteen! Minutes! Behind Schedule! Don't! Stop! Forget it! Just drive by Ford's Theater! Rushing by! Look! The Hard Rock Cafe! They're happy! Snap! Flash! Snap! Flash! Cameras sing their song! Gotta go! That's what it's all about! Rush them by! Rush them out of town! Now! They're! Gone! Thank! God!
