Civil Service by Claire Schwartz

Author:Claire Schwartz [Schwartz, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Graywolf Press
Published: 2022-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

✷

[AMIRA PRESSES HER FEET DEEP INTO HER SHOES. HER SHOES ARE TOO SMALL.]

Do you believe in the nation?

Have you ever loved an alien?

Who represents you? In what state?

Was the war civil?

Was the Guard handsome?

When was your greatest depression?

What would John Steinbeck say?

When was the golden era?

Where do you think you are going with that laminated prayer?

Where does the dream of freedom take place?

Hotline

Feeling lonely, you call the hotline.

A voice consoles you, promises a lover

in five to seven business days. In five

to seven business days, the Accountant

arrives at your door. You want your lover. I want

my lover! you scream, pounding your fists.

The Accountant smiles. You lust after dental

insurance. You wax your bikini line, bleach

your grammar, shine your dark, make it sing. Your private

property gleams. The Accountant is pleased.

In bed, he counts your teeth like stars.

My country, you learn to say, when you want

your lover. My country, the Accountant replies. You are proud

of this marriage you’ve made. You open your mouth

to show the Accountant your grief. Inside each grief,

a well of ink. The Accountant collects

forty-seven drops. For good measure,

he explains. Now that he’s paid

his highest compliment, you are ready

to ask for what you’ve always wanted.

Tell me about the war, you say, laying your head

on his chest. He rations you

dusty Englishes: margarine, tangerine,

tourniquet. You forget your hunger

holding them in your mouth. You redecorate

your living room. Red velvet

curtains and a fainting couch you found

discarded on a street corner. To make use

of the couch, you restrict your oxygen.

The Accountant beams. My country.

My country. You pour the good river

into your front yard. Home, you purr,

petting your property taxes. Late one night,

the hotline calls. There’s been a mistake.

They will send your lover right over. Oh, no,

you say gazing at your Accountant,

sleep training his breath. Don’t worry

about it. Things are fine as they are. You hang

up the phone, turn off the light.

Your alarm clock sounds its sparrow call

and a sparrow crashes into your window.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.