Prättigau

Prättigau is a district in Canton Grisons of Switzerland. Its best known town is Davos. The poem is partly inspired by a photo I took at the Charles Bridge in Prague.

Old statues linger on the roofof Baroque church, up high, alooffrom what the people down beloware doing. Faces come and go that are of no concern to them.The statues chat, debate, their realmup high amongst the ivory clouds,far away from all the crowds whose fate they claim they can decideup in snow mountains, where they hide:the skiing’s good on rooftop slopes —while people starve and lose all hope. And there among the potentatesslumps one who says he’ll make things great,his thorny crown is self-imposed.A sacrificial lamb exposed. Meanwhile, up there on world rooftopthe avalanche’s crack and popis yet unheard. But far belowthe chalets in the peaks of snow the people hear the glaciers’ peal,first signs of motion. Fates are sealedfor all the statues’ feet of clay.The ice will melt and they will pay.