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Merger
by Earl Coleman

Two corporate shells, we lie fully invested
in each other, unable to achieve the euphoria
of rising to all-time highs, when I was the bull,
and you Europa, with our pooled resources.

We remain uneasily Viagra-less at the fall
of the Dow, shrinking all to soon, yet even
more preoccupied with the growth of the boys
we have spun off, capable only of speculation

on the intrinsic worth of our family in this
odd-lot society. We look apprehensively
to the heavens, wary of sky wars, and try
not to view mankind as the mutual fund.

Indeed, our interest is high, as missiles rise
and fall, and Global Crossing’s fiber-optics
stock sinks out of sight. We can’t get out
of this market, and have no choice but total

commitment, since our family bonds might be
liquidated in some brokered exchange.
We touch, fearful of the international business
machine, afraid our dividends may be harrowing.