The Terminator Poem by George Murdock

“I too am an immigrant’ he stated
when I came to Ameri ka
I had nothing “
He paused and sucked in air
adjusted the priceless tie at his bobbling apple
recommenced in his broken English
in the splendorous works
of a German Argonaut camera
“I want to forge a future in Kaleefornia”
he said with his square metal jaw
flexing at its hinge
and in that moment he was from Austria
standing on the frozen apron of a platform
where broken humans filed from trains
below him
with crossed arms holding shopping bags
or condemned children
and he swatted at them mentally
with a horse switch at his thigh
But the ones he addressed now
were not doomed peasants
or whitehaired bespectled rabbis
they were the trustees
the base of a ruthless corp
which should have been garbed
in black shirts and berets
and polished black jump boots
instead they wore Armani tailored suits
and sequined gowns and diamond tiaras
Prada shoes, sipped mixed drinks
and the waiter who hurried among them
had little time to listen or for that matter
understand
“ Ve have to gard owe borders” said the terminator
and I thought
“Obviously”