Brueghel’s Idiots

by George Bowering

You’d think they’d learn a lesson from Icarus,
or at least the part of him they could see if
they’d only look, but no, one guy lets his sheep
walk on stone all the way down to the water,
where there’s nothing to graze.  And I can’t help but
wonder what he’s looking at up in the sky, while
another guy sits on the slippery stone, leaning
into the air far above the disturbed water.
The guy in the dead centre whacks his horse
while plowing around a dead sheep or maybe
female Martian visitor probably fallen from
above the sun.  They all could have taken a tip
from any father who said pay attention, any
odd and even peculiar poet, any such artist
could see those woolly critters will be lamb-
burgers, any Billy’s going to tell you, look out,
at least apply some sun screen, the sea is also
a labyrinth.