Dancing in Belgrade
Darlene Moore

The history
of this century
began
in Serbia.

Any excuse
to try out 
the new weapons 
of war.

No cost was too high, 

and it turned out to be 
very high - 

tens of millions

over decades.

You don't need
to believe
in God 
to hear the echoes

of the wailing

of millions.

You don't need
to believe
in God
to see their shadows

mirrored 

in this reality.

No cost was too high.

Besides all the lives,
they also 
took our minds.

Because, you see,
propaganda
as we know it
began with Serbia.

The people of the world
had to be convinced
to fight
that long war.

In America,
at the end of the century,
a man cuts his daughter
into seven pieces,

enraged 
because she spent
$20,000
on psychic hotlines.

Maybe she spent so much 
because they were telling her
her life 
was in danger.

Maybe she couldn't help herself.

She had 

to know more.

Meanwhile, Clinton
is accused 
of one more love affair,

and of obstructing justice
in a case
involving
another love affair.

Some say
this will be the beginning
of yet
another war.

In Belgrade,
on the Danube,
at the end of the century,

there is no waltzing - 

only X-rated dancing 

and sex acts 
on TV.