There Yet

The crowd before us thins 

And shrinks from the first breath; 

The breathers do the same 

Slow magic. 

Are we nearly there yet? 

Sketches and speeches of there, 

Invisible prospect, 

Daunt and calm, daunt and Are 

we nearly there yet? 

All the dancing sleepily 

Gives way to painful 

Scarecrow poses Are we 

nearly there yet? 

Ordnance skin, thin, rimmed 

Pink eyes with blue lids 

Half dry, half wet Are we nearly 

there yet? 

We are never. 

You are. They are. I will. 

But we are never.