Box Office, by Frederick Turner

Box Office
by Frederick Turner

They're coming soon, the ski masks and Zarqawi,
They've fixed the focus on the camera.
I'm glad they had to waste the first beheading
(They got the Moore film from the Hezbollah).

They caught us at the well--the pump was broken--
Without our weapons, out near Baquba--
The village kids were thirsty, we were working
(They got the Moore film from the Hezbollah).

And Captain Stevens never begged or pleaded,
Just glared into the video retina;
They'd made us watch Fahrenheit 911,
They'd got the Moore film from the Hezbollah.

But Bobby Stevens never bought a ticket:
"Just like the Cannes intelligentsia"
He joked before those heroes cut his head off--
They got the Moore film from the Hezbollah.

They told the Captain "See, your own folk hate you,
And Minutemen, they say, is what we are."
He didn't talk to them, he talked to Michael:
"They got your film, Mike, from the Hezbollah.

"And Mike, my spirit's going to come and find you,
'Cause you're the one behind the camera."
I think his eyes then burned the Sony lens out:
They got the Moore film from the Hezbollah.

The video's working now, they've come to get me--
I'm sorry, Mom, I'm going to be a star.
I'll sing "America" if they will let me
(They got the Moore film from the Hezbollah).