Self-pity most unmanly was
In the catalog of wished-for reliefs
The census of anesthetics
When people continued to dine even in restaurants
A toddler clutching a tiny fork
They continued to sleep in scientifically organized beds
Though some sleeping arrangements were rougher
Adults many of them enjoyed sexual intercourse
Engaged in vehicular transport
Attended performances sporting events and worship services
Played their parts in the ephemeral entertainments
Of the vast electronically promulgated cultural system
Children went off to school and usually came home safely
People participated in the great economy
With their purchases and their occupations
Unprincipled lawmakers cast their votes
And rose to debate in their dismal house
The destruction of a city left standing one door
For a ghost or two or many more
To step through in sad waltz time