ELVIS IN HUNGARY (poem)

ELVIS IN HUNGARY

Elvis lives in the heart of the Hungarian plain.

At the Nameth Laszlo high school gym

where I’ve come to help the kids speak English

Nothing but a hound dog blasts from a black box

to celebrate tomorrow’s commencement rites.

A few students hum, three boys with headbands

and hippie wigs strum chords, the shortest

thrusting his hips back and forth.

Soft laughter, light applause.

Everyone is tired.

Even the young, as if the wheels of history

made a dead stop before they were born.

With a shrug in their voices and downward lilt

they say I don’t know when I ask

their greatest wishes. Maybe a house, a job,

a motor bike. Sleep.

None dreams about black horses

galloping across the plain from distant steppes,

riders on fire, flashing swords and shouting

words no one else can speak

to keep out the Ottomans, Austrians,

Nazis, Russians, hip-hop, Burger King,

porno flicks. Nobody weeps to gypsy violins,

dances the czardas, wears brightly embroidered

blouses and skirts, wonders about life

before microwaves and computers.

Suddenly I feel at home.

3 Responses to “ELVIS IN HUNGARY (poem)”

  1. A few students hum, three boys with headbands
    and hippie wigs strum chords, the shortest
    thrusting […….

    Авторитетная точка зрения, познавательно…..

  2. Kylie Batt says:

    Я думаю, что Вы допускаете ошибку. Предлагаю это обсудить….

    A few students hum, three boys with headbands
    and hippie wigs strum chords, the shortest
    thrusting […….

  3. Kylie Batt1 says:

    Мне очень жаль, ничем не могу Вам помочь. Я думаю, Вы найдёте верное решение….

    http://rel” rel=”nofollow”> where I’ve come to help the kids speak English
    Nothing but a hound dog blasts from a black box
    to celebrate tomorrow’s commencement rites…..

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