Earthrise Poems

Taxi Driver

How much is the fare, I ask
He is silent
Like he couldn't have cared less
Tell me, I ask again, irked by the pause
The taxi driver turns around and stares into my eyes
I see the tears that once were in his eyes
Now they are empty and vacant
Staring into a beyond that is blinding
And I realize that this is a silence and not a pause
Oh, I'll take what you give, young lad, he says in a while
His voice is but an echo

The day before he dropped me at Greenstone Square
Yesterday he dropped me at Greenstone Square
Today he drops me at Greenstone Square
And the little globe, in the library where it is kept
Spins round and round and round on its axis
Like a spinning totem

The water of the lake is blue and clear
As splendid and hollow as a tear
The sun above pulls it upwards
And the water crumbles to pieces
Cracks unevenly
Shatters into a thousand shards
And rises in a surge
Water is rising
Gathering together in suspended white
It hangs in the air
And with a whisper falls to the ground
But beyond is seven thousand brilliant suns

Teddy bear your tears to sleep,
It'll all be okay
Seven thousand brilliant suns are shining

Outside the buildings collapse in explosion
Outside the city converges into itself
Outside the river floods its banks
Outside the storm grows louder and louder
How much do you need, I ask, raising my voice
Above the raging storm
Ten dollars be enough, he answers
I give it to him. The storm is rising
Who are you, I ask, now shouting to make myself heard
I can't hear him answer
I step out onto the pavement,
And everything around me explodes in a flurry