The Commerce of Doors

Back from the south again
from all of that and the cold rain,
the walks over the hill past mules,
past little old men, past recognition.
You want to say a little something
about the heaters and conversations,
about Haj Ibrahim wanting to steal doors again.
In Ayn Ibil they've got these great doors,
big wooden doors and real old.
They've been stolen back and forth
for a century now and Haj wants one back
from the Christians. They burned that town
and then the Christians burned their town
and then they all stole each other's chickens
at given interims when opportunity presented itself.
Like now when the insults are traded
on the evening news. Everyone ready
for a little door stealing and chicken catching.
Haj has his guns loaded already.
Lots of folks do and they are in training.
What next, the plague?