History

History
Locke/Geiger

On the banks of the Vlatava
flowing out of Prague
ships coming in, ships coming out
   
    brought people down its banks
    all those voices bobbing up and on by
    sediments, glass, metal,
    other forms of growth too sick to think about.
    Swaying on the river bed.

On the banks of the Vlatava
dancing to Saint-Saëns, who
plays a dance-tune 
Zig, zig, zig, on his violin.

Above in the sun (On the banks of the Vlatava)
people scurry back and forth
taking the same shots from this end and the other
   
    forward and behind pictures
    to last a lifetime pictures
    and pictures of people with cameras raised
    in silence or laughing, pictures.

But not like the silence ON THE BANKS OF THE VLATAVA
the night before, natural silence
crossing the Charles Bridge
opposite this bank
after the laughing and rollicking and
living like we’ll never die.