The following can also be found in the book Chicago Stories 1998. Click here to learn more, and to download a free electronic copy.


I walked by a high-tech fountain the other day
and stopped and watched the
computer-controlled bursts of life
snaking out of black hidden holes
arcing over soaked childrens' heads
disappearing into tron grids below
I watched disney bursts of life
synchronized like the background
of a country show
in Branson, Missouri
and I thought about the person
who invented computer-controlled fountains
gobbled up by dark-gray corporate headquarters
and primary-colored theme parks
and I wondered
if the person
knew how much happiness
they had brought into the world

Copyright 1998, Jason Pettus. All rights reserved. This was published under a Creative Commons license; click here for details. Contact: ilikejason [at] gmail [dot] com.