Short men in Burgundy-red suits
look inside.

In the corner of my eye,
on the X-Ray screen,
I catch sight of a cow.
Somoebody is bringing a plaster-cow onto the plane;
I laugh. Luke laughs. We are laughing,
for it is funny to see an X-rayed cow.

The men in red suits laugh not.

Could the Cow Be a Bomb?!!!
they wonder, but deciding that it is not,
they let the bag pass.

Now, I put my bag through,
and I pass through
the metal detector.
I set off no alarm.
Luke passes through
with hands in pockets

"Get your hand out of your pocket!"
the short suit cries
takes Luke aside
runs a hand-held metal detector all over his body.

I bet Americans
are feeling so safe
now that airports are taking more severe security measures,
yes they feel safe,
when airports close the barn door
after the cow has ran out;
free; the cow is free,
but we
are subjecting ourselves
to obstacles and mistrust and vindication
every time we wish to fly.

I bet you feel so safe,
even as you are probed by a short man in a red suit.

I just wanna get on the damn plane.