all things must combine
as we burn out over time
the voices in the ventilator
sing the virtues of rust

the colors in this carpet
the weak lines on this hotel sofa
the fading of the wallpaper 
are voices in the chorus

it's a slow, slow burn
and everything turns
muddy brown

and all the fast food chains
the cars shining in their parking lots
are the nibbling agents of entropy
making everything the same

all things must combine 
as we burn out over time
the voices in the ventilator
sing the virtues of rust

it's a slow, slow burn

(c) 1996 Carl Dexter