Candles

Mad scientists and their assistants
have switched from trying to create life
to strumming on acoustic guitars.

All around the world, especially
in Europe, when lightning storms blow through
and strange metal kites get to flying
above parapets of dark castles
the sparking arcs of blue-white lightning
are transferred by wire to the inside
of the dark castles, changed to a glow
and used to illuminate stage shows
where scientists in flannel work shirts
play blonde guitars and sing, backed up by
voiceless hunchbacks on rhythm guitar.

Instead of charging the dark castles
waving blazing torches and pitchforks
the townspeople, now, spend their weekends
listening to songs about love and angst.

Little girls picking flowers in the woods
don’t meet monsters, now, they hum folk songs
and make garlands of wildflowers to sell
to couples off to the dark castles.

The new Prometheus is about
lighting candles on small, round tables
so lovers can see each other’s face
and sigh and dream and exchange a kiss.