Rod.....1983

"Saturday Night In The City Of The Dead"

In front of the Great Pyramid he stands
Passing the time of day with the camel ride guy.
When the camel ride guy's shift is over
He pulls off his galabiya,
Which covers a three piece suit,
Hops in his Mercedes and drives away.

Inside the Great Pyramid he lies down in a
Sarcophagus shell and his brother snaps his picture.

He sees a statue of an oracle
And her half smile, he says, reminds him of me.

Sailing down the Nile from Aswan, which is sailing north,
He looks off the back of the boat and the men of the crew
Are clustered in a circle smoking from a hookah.
The smell is rich and pungent and familiar.

There are drapings hung all around the top deck
Of the boat so you're not a target for snipers on the bank.

They tell you don't drink the water but the French Girl
Buys lemonade from a vendor and ends up being
Transported by chopper to a hospital ...deathly ill.

The waitress in the Mena House Hotel was beautiful
With cinnamon skin and crystal clear blue eyes.

Six weeks after he was there a bomb 
Blew up a portion of the Mena House.
It survives.