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I see the three giant Xmas wreaths lying prone, beached
before Union Station; three weeks ago, wind manhandled
one of those fake evergreen wreaths studded with fairy
lights and stiff red ribbon: it trembled on
stretched guy ropes as travelers sweated for cabs;
the forecourt stars and stripes streamed eastward,
and beyond flapping state and territorial flags,
the U.S. Capitol dome ghosted in the distance;
Columbus's marble colossus of Columbus braved
the sleet, come to claim the New Land.
* * * *
Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.
Pigeons soar in tight formation round the explorer.
I refuse a bum as I savor my cigar but am ashamed
to see as he approaches others that he only
wanted a light. Today, over seventy years after
the Depression and "Buddy, can you spare a dime."
Pigeons cluster on the pole of Columbus's globe
and starlings perch on the facade's statue of Apollo
and other allegorical figures like raisins. Having
seen the plywood hoardings, I now realise gray steel
girders prop up the tableau. Preserve this grandeur,
full speed into your coming years! In a future spring,
as the state flags snap out their stars, bison, eagles,
stripes, flowing in the breeze, a red open-topped double-
deck bus will sweep by with wind-battered tourists,
hop-on,
hop-off on the Columbus's globe, the male pigeon will still
strut for the female, white tail dragging,
hop-on, hop-off.
Christopher T. George
"Railroading, Progress of statues at Union Station in Washington, D.C., by Louis Saint-Gaudens"
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