Roger Snell

Roger Snell is doing independent study on literary correspondences at Naropa Institute in Boulder, Co. He can be reached at 2547 Pine, Boulder,CO 80302.

POLICE PREPARE FOR RIOTS

(Volume II, Issue 3, July 23-29, 1997

Boulder Planet)

1

Whose intention

or suggestion

to draw four

times as deep

less lethal

weapons

(rubber grenades, bullets)

The police agitators

University or

the 1,500

drunks

(Doug Cosper)?

2

The force is

quicker

smarter, better-

equipped

better to

withstand

(spontaneous civil

distrubances)

planned political

protests

crowd

mentality

(control techniques)

3

Next time a mob force

swarms

the Hill

lightning strikes

or sudden destructive

& overwhelming attacks

(blitz)

will leave

less than 10 percent

alive for

dead-week

(we're not anticipating another riot)

4

Matt remembers when

riots had reason

candlelights

chants, forays

flames, fusillades

cracked skulls

(bring the war home!)

Amid dense council members

businesses

chancellors, shop-

keepers sit w/loaded pistols

(waiting)

5

A unique set

of circumstances

or a combination

n

of events

on the other

hand, we have to stockpile

(in the event it occurs again)

trained and equipped officers

special weapons & tactics

to single out jerks

& agitators (Doug Cosper)

police across the country are

evolving in the riot business.

POME

I sketched the 'ol man at seventy-five.

With deep sockets

and lines

looking back to the year

I was born,

to Joyce's grave

at christmas,

unadorned

and Nora's

there in the grass

illegible.

Then went

for a walk in the night,

down stone alleyways

past the cafe &

manufactured columns,

the corner bar

where men wait in the cold

, for a table at Zanmai's.

At almost thirty

what I possess is

a great oddity

a sense of angling in darkness.

To do this with pleasure

I cannot,

but find it easier to

be alone in a crowd.

And I recall as I walk over the wood

plant bridge

the Confucian virtue/image

of Ez

as on ald tree enduring

in severe conditions

longevity

man

human

new growth.

Then

How simple

it is or

how aawkward

then, to be

in the kitchen

with you.

A fault

I would share, or

make it go away.

But I am not that smart

and it was warm, you

were at the stove.

The house was empty

it was new year's eve,

and I, or

does it matter now

you sat down, they

were out buying beer

or something, and leaned over

a bit, then, and dealt with me

as best you could.

Roger Snell