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Thursday, November 15, 2007

TIRESIAS LIED: A MINI PLAY

by Christine Panas


On television, Tiresias said
                 Domino Effect!

The generals checked their calendars
  flipped a coin

The chorus of frogs croaked
                Beware, the helicopters!

The chorus of old men grunted
                That one is too fond of sacrifice

Tiresias repeated
                The Domino Effect, you fools!

His pet alligator clapped its jaws
  gnawed at its polished nails

Fats Domino sued for slander
The case was dismissed
It was a rumpling moment

Tiresias declared
                No worry! We have the Jolly Green Giant!
                Armies of sprouts!

When the helicopters did arrive
  the Cyclops had eaten
    all the young sprouts
All 50 thousand!
Tiresias disappeared
(He had to)

The chorus of frogs cried out
                We told you so!

The Chorus of old men griped
                This script will never work

Ten years of:
Finger pointing
Video Tape
Bickering generals
Not one domino was found

A generation of new sprouts
  greened the fields
Tiresias returned
  to television
Resurrected by a PR firm
  stylish suits and watches
Blood sacrifice
  back in fashion again

His pet peacock fanned, preciously
  preened, pecked at
    cobs of rolled up paper

Tiresias said
                Axis of evil!

The dominos responded by
  falling into place

He explained
                I was at Troy,
                On the Dardanelles; it was
                Protracted, but you know
                No one thanked me

Chorus of Frogs & Old men
                We gotta get a new Prophet!


Christine Panas curates & often hosts "The Biscuit Readings Spoken Word Series" at Biscuit BBQ in Park Slope Brooklyn (the Brooklyn sibling of Cornelia Street Cafe). A former academic trained in the archaeology of Greece and Rome, she now pursues poetry and short fiction.