747
By Fiona Wright
I've heard that air hostesses
get paid cosmetic leave
if their skin becomes contentious
and the resulting pustuled pimples
can't be magically made over
with a blob of black eyeliner
into a beauty spot.
The march, pink-lipped, high-heeled, dry-cleaned
down the narrow aisles
and I can't help but think of a cloned army,
robotic, ice-maiden cold, and deadly
advancing behind their drink-cart artillery
ready to clobber any caught
smoking in the shoebox toilets.
Their incessant battle cry echoes and amplifies:
"Chicken or beef?"
"Chicken or beef?"
"Chicken or beef?"