On a divided street

each house a tight fit

word leads to word

witchery curdles milk

disease in the body politic

A sufficiency of verbs

symphony distracts

deflects no bullet

pronounces no cancer cured

or pond cleared of algae

water relieved of stink

Song draws no blood

breaks no bones

chants no routine of peace

the news full of sports scores

not body counts but

no tender noun silences

the siren screaming past