Even Empires Expire

after the afternoon tea what
we will be having is
no nap for we know where
these lead off to
there will be no guessing games
or hands held out willy nilly and
when you call the
name calls kept down
kept low for tea remains dantily still
in the air the sweet taste
the harsh root fowl and medicinal
fire flitted up from the palm
so if you asked evidence of
another world perhaps you’d
provide this card trick party favor
a tow truck jab a fable
a candy counter quip
tea on with it sitting deep
in belly warm with afternoon
the employed spilling out
loosening their outer clothes
the growing heat
the dying machine
even empires expire