Eleven Forty-Five

P. Michael Campbell

11:45 p.m. Only the odd glow
Of the screen between me and
Something which I know is there
But can't as yet articulate . . . 
"This was the last entry in the log, 
Sir, the letters a barely discernable
Scribble. Our experts agree only on
'Everywhere' but as to what comes
After there is much disagreement. 
Perhaps it was a form of inebriation,
A ritual of social transcendence,
In which blah, blah, blah." I must
Wrest control of this medium from
The hideous aliens who have infiltrated...
[Much interference] have managed
Somehow [static]...so we have
Begun planting [illegible] [expletive
Delted] [etc.]...The 'rah [footnote:
A slang abbreviation for the acronym
IRA, i.e., the Irish Republican Army,
A...]...bombs, etc.,...until...we'll
Just keep fucking bombing you to
Bloody hell and back, you stinking
[The rest by decree of the British
Consulate is hereby yanked from the
Airwaves and consigned to the 
Remainder bins.] Have you seen
Your mother, baby, standing in the
Shadow behind the barn, the hot
Sun scorching a wide swath across
The Southern California desert, arid
Except for years of water diversions...
We could hardly even sleep at night,
That wind whipping up negative ions,
Etc., really scary stuff, something
About the Manson Family taking their
Sweet time killing, tasting the blood...
Notice the fine workmanship, this
Will last you a lifetime...splat...better
Luck in the next life, sucker...in
Beatle song heaven, lyrics in treacly 
French and German repeated ad nauseum: 
Michelle, my belle, and so fucking on. 
Helter Skelter. Die motherfucker. Taste
The furious steel of my...Forsooth...
And foreswear all alcohol. Bloody 
Sheets no problem. Whiter than white 
With whatever...the tornado or knight 
Or something. Kirk, here. We have not
Found an answer to your question, Bone,
You silly wabbit, but baked beans,
Peppermint, mustard, relish, 2 tsps
Oregano, other condiments optional,
Do not I repeat do not operate heavy
Machinery or write your life story
For at least twelve years after, etc.