Internal Migration On Being On Tour

A poem by Alan Dugan

As an American traveler I have

to remember not to get actionably mad

about the way things are around here.

Tomorrow I’ll be a thousand miles away

from the way it is around here. I will

keep my temper, I will not kill the dog

next door, nor will I kill the next-door wife,

both of whom are crazy and aggressive

and think they live at the center of culture

like everyone else in this college town.

This is because I’m leaving, I’m taking off

by car, by light plane, by jet, by taxicab,

for some place else a thousand miles away,

so I caution myself: control your rage,

even if it causes a slight heart attack.

Stay out of jail tonight before you leave,

and don’t get obstreperous in transit tomorrow

so as to stay out of jail on arrival tomorrow night.

Think: the new handcuffs are sharp inside

and meant to cut the wrists. You’re not too old

to be raped in their filthy overcrowded jails

and you’ll lose your glasses and false teeth.

How would you eat, study and be

a traveling lecturer if you got out alive and sane?

So remember to leave this place peacefully,

it’s only Asshole State University at Nowheresville,

and remember to get to the next place peacefully,

it’s only Nowhere State University at Assholesville

and you must travel from place to place for food and shelter.

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Poems in English 

• A Serenade poem – Alexander Pushkin by Александр Пушкин
• A Magic Moment I Remember poem – Alexander Pushkin by Александр Пушкин
• Winter – The Fourth Pastoral, or Daphne poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• Vertumnus and Pomona : Ovid’s Metamorphoses, book 14 [v. 623-771] poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• Verses Left by Mr. Pope poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• Translation of a Prayer of Brutus poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• To the Author of a Poem Entitled Succession poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• To Mrs. M. B. On Her Birthday poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• To Mr. Thomas Southern, on his Birth-Day poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• To Lady Mary Wortley Montagu poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Three Gentle Shepherds poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Temple of Fame poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Messiah : A Sacred Eclogue poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Looking-Glass. : on Mrs. Pulteney poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Iliad: Book VI (excerpt) poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Fable of Dryope – Ovid’s Metamorphoses Book 9, [v. 324-393] poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Dying Christian to His Soul poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Dunciad: Book IV poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Dunciad: Book III. poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope
• The Dunciad: Book II. poem – Alexander Pope by Alexander Pope

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Duckduckgo – the real alternative and a search engine that actually works. Without much censorship or partisan politics.

Yahoo– yes, it’s still around, amazingly, miraculously, incredibly, but now it seems to be powered by Bing.

 

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