by Diane Elayne Dees
we have ever known, and he still cuts a fine figure,
in or out of uniform. Perhaps Almodóvar
can call him to duty, for Marjorie has gone
far beyond the verge of a nervous breakdown.
This time, Officer Carlos will have to stay sober:
The future of an entire nation depends on him,
as he sorts tomatoes and cucumbers and bell peppers
for Nancy, and collects enough white bread
to thicken the soup before he spikes it,
and renders Congress near-unconscious—
yet how could we tell?
There is no need for spying—
the schemes and plots and crimes
are all on display in plain sight.
Officer Carlos and Nancy eat a cold soup
of anarchy, dishonored pledges, cult devotion,
and blueprints for total destruction,
while an entire nation—on the verge—awaits.
Diane Elayne Dees is the author of the chapbook Coronary Truth (Kelsay Books) and the forthcoming chapbook The Last Time I Saw You. Diane, who lives in Covington, Louisiana, also publishes Women Who Serve, a blog that delivers news and commentary on women's professional tennis throughout the world.