fahrenheit, 1984
By townee

always,
there were fires...

the air was thick with
not too distant smoke.

above the street, black
as ash and oily,
billboards ordered
ordinary citizens
to be the eyes
& ears of police.

whispering, prim,
stiff-limbed ladies
made complaints,
regarding their own neighbors--
lodged on cell phones--while
they went about shopping; were
rewarded with specials, or sales,
occasional pitched discounts.
even blind men,
able-in effect-to see,
used canes which track

low-intensity heat;
and, the exact position
of a human body; its
relationship with
public space.

Thanks for the contribution, Townee!