essay on economies of scale

 

 

Mid-morning they arrive.

 

I’m at the grocery fingering

 

cellophane tucked slick

 

to the iceberg lettuce.

 

 

As the summer school kids trade cigarettes

 

& sleeping pills down

 

at the pipeline.

 

 

It’s mid-morning & late afternoon &

 

another day.

 

 

First tomatoes ripening

 

by the fistful.

 

It’s early July when they arrive

 

dusty arrive heat stroked

 

arrive like so many boxes

 

of catalytic converters

 

 

& the day splits open,squeal

 

& prodded.

 

 

Day dragged forth.

 

 

When the phone rings & it’s no one.

 

While I’m waiting for an oil change at the service station.

 

As daylight wanes & fireflies lamp

 

 

the backyard as the heatwave stretches

 

into a third week & the city’s power

 

goes out/goes on/flickers again

 

when the storm comes.

 

 

They arrive grimed to cages & truck stuffed to capacity:

 

delivery distribution problem solved.

 

Thursday morning & any morning

 

& daily & weekly

 

& half-past ten.

 

 

This morning on the kill floor

 

the piglet tried to nuzzle the worker Like a puppy,

 

the worker says, It happens all the time.

 

 

& by then the international flight is canceled

 

& by then the library books are overdue

 

& by then the new pop songs have replaced the new pop songs

 

& by then like two ships passing

 

& by then the petition has been circulated

 

& by then the signatures pending

 

& by then we are all dolled up

 

& by then we have gone dancing

 

& by then the raffle’s ended & a man has won the Sebring

 

& by then the GDP

 

& by then the private-sector benefits

 

& by then per capita

 

& by then the joke doesn’t land

 

& by then dinner’s ready

 

& by then the season coming on

 

& by then the committees gathering

 

& the committees all forming ghost committees

 

& the TV shows starting up again