LPiA Nov4

[dukealien]

Its Turns


The Belt– so many meanings for
a thing of such simplicity:
its two ends joined by varied fittings
into that which has no end.

To some extent it’s mythical–
belief that unlike braces it
holds trousers up suspender-like–
in fact it merely clamps them to
hips larger than their wearer’s waist.

When verbalized as “belted” it
can server as honor or a weapon:
belted wrestler, belted knight
or belted with a handheld loop.

In Communist societies
one’s belt is taken on arrest
depriving zeks of means to kill
themselves (a right their State reserves)...
shoelaces serve in place of belt
for only felt boots will be needed
where a freezing zek will trudge.

Which brings up necks, the other place
a belt can form its ligature
when “My way or the highway” reigns
as in, for instance, Belt and Road.