Post-Coital Depression
Now
after the parties
and after the Seders
a few scant hours before the POWs come home
(and
home is here, this is their home, and this is my home,
far from my friends and
family and far from their friends
and family and the things that any of us
would call home)
Now, on a quiet Saturday, I ponder art for art’s sake
and art for society’s sake
and art which by its nature could never last
because it is too specific
too focused in its condemnations
and not at all metaphorical
Today I ponder the role of an artist
at the close of a war
and the dawn of an empire
And what it means
to believe in something
anything
in a time of blind faith
in blind and stupid leaders
Today I am an artist and a businessman
so I look over my projects
what is due, what is due me, what will be due soon
what must be achieved today so that
other artists will still consider me important
so they will come to my rallies
and come to my readings
and thank me for my politics
and thank me for my energy
Today at home
I think of the best way to relieve the burden
of living, writing, and voting in the country
destined to conquer the world
Today I think of stacks of burning bodies
dictatorships established in the name of democracy
and the motherless sons who will come back to America
and do everything they can to bring it down
and what does that mean to anyone,
anyway?
Today
the POWs come home
tortured beaten terrorized
and I will celebrate
with my city and with my country
and I know
that this is the last day we can call ourselves
a Republic of Laws
today
I fear for myself
I fear for my son
I fear for the Arabs
I fear for the Israelis
I fear for the Persians
I fear for the Americans
and I fear for every artist
who makes art for art’s sake
who won’t speak out
at the end of our world
—Jonathan Penton
“Post-Coital Depression” was previously published in the anthology, BANNED (Meta4, 2004)