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DEAD MOUNTAIN MOUTH pt XIII of The Waste Land cycle by Joel Sattler

part II of "What the Thunder Said"

based on the poem by TS Eliot

here there is no water
but only rock
rock and no water
and the sandy road

the road winding
high among the mountains
to places where
we know we have to go

if there were water
we should stop and drink
but amongst the rock
we can not stop or think

sweat is dry
and feet are in the sand
the body is willing
but the soul beyond command

if there were only water
amongst the rock
dead mountain mouth
of carious teeth

teeth that can not spit
but only shout
here one can not lie
or neither stand nor sit

there's not even silence
in the mountains over plain
but dry sterile thunder
without the rain

there's not even solitude
but red sullen faces sneer
and snarling from the doors
of mudcracked houses here

if there were water
and no rock
if there were rock
and also water

and water and water
and a spring
a pool among the rock
or anything

if there were just
the sound of water only
not the cicada
and the dry grass singing

but the sound of water
over a rock
where hermit thrushes sing
in the pine trees

drip drop drip drop
drop drop drop
if there were only water
then we could stop

but there is no water
but there is no water
but there is no water
no water

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