Land of the Houyhnhnms

……..it is what they see done every day, and
…..they look upon it as one of the necessary
…..actions of a reasonable being. —Swift

Here,
even crossing the street
presents problems:

how not to draw the ire
of tall, beautiful blonds
(chiseled from the bosom of Odin)
waiting patiently
for the WALK sign
on a street empty of cars,

glaring at me,
the dark little savage,
unable to abide by civil law,
already on the other side of the street.

LUND, SWEDEN, MARCH 2009

by Sassan Tabatabai
from Uzunburun
The Pen and Anvil Press, 2011

Houyhnhnm Land