Silent Films

Captain Koepernick strode across the street,

Goose-stepping with his comrades-in-arms, trit-trot,

Until they commandeered the manuscrites,

And marched back, trot-trit, trit-trot.

The Kaiser cackled, and everyone breathed, Ahhh!

In the silent films, Keystone Kops scrambled

And chased each other like Katz’n’Jammer Kids,

So everyone laughed, like the imperator.  We ambled

Around in our dreams, chortling, never sweet

Or well-behaved, testing the limits. King

Of the Mountain. Push me in the corner. Ma,

He’s throwin’ eggs at me—and everything

Deception makes for comedy, that’s tragic,

So we only know the truth by klunky magic?