No latitude 

 

At the Center of the Earth

there is no hatred or violence.

At the Center an immense blue sky encircles the meridian.

There are no politics here but history

that records the heroic feats of scientists.

At the Center of the Earth there is a monolith

and an avenue of stone-head statues.

At the meridian I saw no birds,

but I hear there are times when clouds pass through.

 

At the Center of the World I had one foot

stepping in the northern hemisphere

and once foot appearing in the southern hemisphere.

Yet, in the end, the Center of the World

functions like any other place in the world:

at the Center there are museums,

cafes, restaurants, and a post office.

For those people who need to boast

and sleep at the Center of the World,

there’s a gigantic hotel under construction

for those who prefer zero latitude

for their recondite dreams.

 

—Kevin T. McEneaney

Elegy for Pete Seeger

 

Sometimes a song can make a difference

when it comes to politics or culture.

Pete Seeger possessed incandescence

on the stage, an aura that could conjure

people to action. Justice and conscience

were in his eyes but a Scripture

to be witnessed by a public movement.

 

His great legacy remains insurgent

in all those who treasure heartfelt music

that is simple, rhythmic, metaphoric.

For Pete, song was the transcendental spark

that could create a vital change of heart.

Although Clearwater Pete no longer plays here,

his songs will re-bloom like flowers each year.

 

—Kevin T. McEneaney