FIRST LINE FROM HEROTODUS' "BABYLON AND ASSYRIA"

The rainfall of Assyria is slight
as the fingers that push the seed

But its crankshaft erupts at micron level
plumes of granite come bubbling froth

So, the angels flicker their sickles
And bare their jagged little teeth

The earth burps fango and mud huts
The fauna with slicked-back, douchebag hair

Dogs and pestilence shackle the exurbs
pirates set up camp in the ravines

Scribes lobby their overlord rectors
to get this language thing right

Protesting on the ziggurat perhaps
was not the most deft way to halt the asp

But the Assyrian rain is slight indeed
the caravan traffic heaves, but is not

scared of losing the potentates inside
the palanquins, their cargo old senators.