WHEN THE WORLD ENDS

DAVE MATTHEWS FAMOUSLY SAID THAT
“WHEN THE WORLDS END
WE’LL ALL BE DANCING.”

I DON’T KNOW WHETHER TO TAKE SUCH A STATEMENT
AS THE WORLD AFFIRMING THERE END
OR THE END BEING A DIRECT RESULT OF THE WORLD’S DANCING.

HISTORIANS DISAGREE ON THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION
BUT ALL ARE ALL WILLING TO ACCEPT THE POSSIBILITY OF A
‘DOUBLING MEANING’

I DON’T KNOW HOW THE WORLD WILL END.
I DON’T EVEN THINK DAVE MATTHEWS KNOWS
HOW THE WORLD WILL END.


I’M BEING STUPID TO HIDE THE EDIT.
MY THOUGHTS
NOT YET MY THOUGHTS.
EVERY EDIT IS A LIE
THEY SAY.
BUT WHAT EDIT IS MORE A LINE?

A MAYAN STOMACH ON A BONEFIRE
A COFFEE’S FUTILE ATTEMPT TO SAVE THE WORLD
A GOD’S PUPILS BURSTING WITH SNOW?
I DON’T KNOW IF I READ THAT QUESTION RIGHT.

VOICE DRAWN INTO THE WASTE’S MIRAGE
DON’T THINK OF IT AS LUCK
THINK OF IT

AS HARBORING THE MIRROR’
STRETCH ACROSS
THE EASTERN PLAINS OF NEBRASKA
ONE NIGHT WHEN YOU WERE TOO
HIGH TO PULL YOUR FEVERISH HANDS
BACK FROM THE BEE STINGER.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED WITH THAT?
WHAT EVER HAPPENED WITH COUNTLESS THINGS
ON EARTH
THAT ARE DEAD?
TIME WAS, WE MURDER BECAUSE
THE ACT FELT COMFORTABLE.

NOW
THOSE IN POWER WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE
THE DEATH OF ALL BEES WOULD SIGNIFY
THE CONQUERING OF THE FINAL OBSTACLE
BETWEEN THE  ASSURED CONTINUANCE OF MANKIND
AND AN UNAVOIDABLE CAREENING INTO OBLIVION.

THEY WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE
THE IDEA OF RUINING A MOTHER FUCKER
JUST BECAUSE HE OR SHE DIDN’T T HAVE
THE GUMPTION TO RUN AWAY
FEELS MILDLY OUT OF VOGUE.

THERE IS PLAN.
IT IS A SECRET PLAN
TO CORNER THE MARKET
OF BEES .
THEN LIMIT THE SUPPLY
OF BEES.
THUS CREATING AN ILLOGICAL DEMAND
FOR BEES.

THE GOAL BEING
OF COURSE
TO MAKE EVERYONE CARE ABOUT BEES.

YOU WILL BUY ONE FOR A $1000
YOU WILL KEEP IT IN A CAGE
AND WHEN IT DIES
A SMALL PART OF YOU
WILL DIE ALSO.
AND YOU WILL BUY ANOTHER BEE
FOR $1000.
AND A BEE’S COST VALUE
WILL BE SOMETHING LIKE
A SEED BAG OF PERENNIALS.
AND IT’S SALE PRICE WILL BE
$1000.
THIS IS HOW THE BEE EXCHANGE
WILL WORK IN THE FUTURE.

AT PRESENT
THE BEE MARKET IS STILL
 A BUYERS MARKET.
EVEN THE “KILLER BEE’S”
 WHAT THE FUCK DID THEY EVER DO?

THEY WORSHIPED A MAN
SO UNCOMFORTED BY INFLUENCE
HE CALLED HIMSELF AN ‘OLD DIRTY BASTARD’
AND SMOKED CRACK TO DEATH.
WHAT A FUCKING FATIGUING THOUGHT.

SO WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT BEES?
WHO GIVES A FUCK
ABOUT A KILO OF BEES?

WELL MY SISTER FOR ONE.
BUT NOT IN ANY SORT OF
FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY.

SHE ONLY KNOWS THAT THERE ARE BEES
AND THEY COULD MURDER HER
IF SHE FANCIED A JAUNT INTO NATURE
WITHOUT HER EPIPEN.

I IMAGINE FOR EXAMPLE
SHE WOULD FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE
DRINKING A GLASS OF WINE
ON A PICNIC DATE
WITH THAT GUY SHE REALLY LIKES
IF THERE WERE KILLER BEES AROUND.

I IMAGINE
 TO PUT HER ‘HONEY ‘AT EASE
SHE WOULD SAY “NO GREG,
THIS FACE OF CONSUMING REGRET
IS NOT BECAUSE I WENT ON THIS PICNIC
DATE WITH YOU. IT IS BECAUSE I FORGOT
 MY EPIPEN.
AND WITHOUT MY EPIPEN
I COULD STEP ON A DEAD BEE
OR BE ASSAULTED BY A LIVING BEE
AND THEN I WOULD MOST LIKELY DIE
HAVING NEVER FULFILLED MY GREATEST DESIRE
TO HAVE TWO POLITE CHILDREN WITH YOU.

I ALSO THINK
I JUST DRANK A BEE
THAT CRAWLED INTO MY WINEGLASS

BUT NEVER MIND.
WHAT KIND OF GEMSTONES
WILL YOU ENCRUST INTO THE SIDES
OF THE TABLE
YOU BUILD FOR YOUR MOTHER
FOR MOTHER’S DAY?”


I BELIEVE THE DEPLOYMENT
OF POETRY—
I CALL IT “THE BREATH OF THE WORLD”—
—OTHERS CALL IT “GATHERED LIGHT”—
—LIKE THAT MAKES ANY SENSE—
WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE INDEFINITELY
UNTIL OUR ATOMS ARE PROCESSED 
INTO A FOSSIL JUICE
USED TO LUBRICATE THE GEARS
OF THE BIOMECHANICAL  TRAVBOOK 2K10
ON ITS CAMPAIGN TO
SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROY
EVERY CONSTANT
LEFT IN THE WORLD.

IT’S NOT THAT EVERYTHING
SHUFFLED INTO THIS PHANTASMAL
WOUND ON PURPOSE.
MORE –LIKE ME—EVERYTHING
MISTOOK GOD’S LAST ATTEMPT
TO PRESERVE MANKIND
AS A HARMLESS INCIDENT
THAT COST ME $1200.

IN THE FUTURE:
THE RESISTANCE OF MANKIND
WILL UNITE AS A VOICE
STRIPPED DOWN TO RADIO WAVES
THAT LIMP ACROSS THE RAGGED SKY
PRAYING TO GRAVITY:

BRINGS DOWN A CHUNK OF DEAD PLANET.
BRING DOWN A CHUNK OF DEAD PLANET
LARGE ENOUGH TO RETURN US TO THE SUN.

(BY MIKE KNOTT)