We rarely talk now.
Between us
the children are quite happy
playing Indians and Cowboys
Iranians and Iraqis
Tutsi and the Hutsi
– even David and Goliath –
shooting, fighting it out,
the new afficionados of TV.

It’s time for the 7:45 news
a whole nation of sane people
must be with us
in watching this.
We can’t quite catch
what the angry, bearded man
is saying at the UN.
It must be very, very important.
It will be in the papers tomorrow.

It is a comforting feeling
to know there is always
the morning paper
to mediate between
my tongue
and the breakfast on the table.