LIVE ON THE SCENE

The morning 

after, 

the debased phrase—

I am

that 

I am—still 

hangs stinging 

in the air;

a very mysterious 

prankster's latest 

devil-

may-care,

illicit 

and late-

night

graffito, no

doubt—

scrawled out 

so daring

and

intimidatingly,

here

along the entire
proud brick 

edifice 

of western civilization.

Although—
a few local residents

this reporter 

spoke

with earlier, 

(each 

of whom 

unfortunately

declined 

to be interviewed)

were nonetheless 

insistent—

in their

staunch refusal

to be provoked—let alone 

intimidated 

by—some local 

upstart  

who's so unintelligent;

and whose explanation-

less, 

but doubtless

dubious, motivations—not 

to mention 

cowardly

name!—they don't know.