sudden fate

the blue French Citroen
at the curb
in the dead of night
still missing one headlight
was idly waiting for the absent driver
intently knocking on the main wood door
of a grand city Maison
the entire reason
for his visit
was the slender beauty
and her long black hair
but the servant said she wasn't there
she was with her father
far away by many miles in Hue
the mother too was gone
and wouldn't return before the dawn
so the young man went to the Caravelle Hotel
and had a drink at the bar by twelve
he tried to sleep but couldn't
thought of driving north but knew he shouldn't
after all, there was a war about
& the hope of finding gas supplies wasn't great
so he fitfully tossed and turned
with visions of Thich Quang Duc calm and burned
who earlier seated slowly onto the cushion
in yogic lotus posture
inside his final pillar of fire
where the saffron flames danced ever higher
in an electric silence a hush
as monks and nuns pressed together
hands folded in prayer
crowds of Vietnamese stopped to stare
and soon a corrupt regime would end
but the war would continue
with more bitterness and sad tears
more horrible deaths for many more years.