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