The Foreigners
We stayed in the slums in Washington D.C.,
A Filipino, a Dane, and two Italians.
Three nights we guzzled bardolino
And talked of films, women, armaments,
Giant angels for the first-born.
The fat freckled landlord and his black mistress
Questioned us on love. The tipsy Dane
Chanted notes from walls of johns.
The last night, the streets sipped us;
The White House studied passively the labels
Of our skins. Squatting on its teeth,
The Italians dreamt of brazen serpents,
Reunions, and morning planes. We watched the night
Dividing, found ourselves drowning
In its waters. Going back to bags
Concealed by beds of sleepless smells,
We passed a closed and dark apartment;
Guitars inside sang Hanukkah:
We stiffened like diplomats
Called by nature at dinners of state.
We stayed in the slums in Washington D.C.,
A Filipino, a Dane, and two Italians.
Three nights we guzzled bardolino
And talked of films, women, armaments,
Giant angels for the first-born.
The fat freckled landlord and his black mistress
Questioned us on love. The tipsy Dane
Chanted notes from walls of johns.
The last night, the streets sipped us;
The White House studied passively the labels
Of our skins. Squatting on its teeth,
The Italians dreamt of brazen serpents,
Reunions, and morning planes. We watched the night
Dividing, found ourselves drowning
In its waters. Going back to bags
Concealed by beds of sleepless smells,
We passed a closed and dark apartment;
Guitars inside sang Hanukkah:
We stiffened like diplomats
Called by nature at dinners of state.
