O Century    standing in the line of fire     A lake
on the slope of a plate    danger in the silverware drawer    O chaos
of looming disaster            where there are pots & pans teetering
no heart in the ketchup    no second-guessing the mustard

O little beep beep beep            O   So   long
nothing about you means anything anymore    only lost opportunities
O hello automated answering systems of the future     call waiting     O
voice mail        O pay phone at the frantic airport relaying delayed messages
"We're busy signal free," he said.     banishing forever     the busy signal

Traditionally   we were either there    or    we weren't
Now we can begin at the window    in a puddle of midnight
or sway in buckling air    a symbol of currency   and   decor
puffs rise out of the sugar bowl        Salt Spews

For most people the truly upsetting thing seemed to be
that Marilyn Monroe was home alone   on a Saturday night
O she who was found dead    nude    in bed with a telephone
the lyrical hiccup of the busy signal   tunneling her through the dark