[Newspoetry] How to Build A House

[Paul Kotheimer]

Here's a newspoem which might be of use in conjunction with coverage of
the Permaculture Building Symposium in October's <Public i.>


How to build a house


First, clear-cut (or napalm) one square mile of real estate.
Kill every plant.
Throw trees in chipper.
Next, bring in bulldozers and push the gray dirt flat.
Burn lots of gasoline.

Fell old-growth timber somewhere in Oregon.
Ship to Japan for milling.
Ship to Brazil for treatment with illegal chemicals.
Ship to site.

Import copper.
Import sheetrock.
Import concrete.
Import fiberglass.
Import asphalt.
Import aluminum.
Import polyvinyl chloride.

Undermine builders' unions.
Lay out curlicue streets and cul-de-sacs.
Install identical garage door openers.
Plant grass and topiary.
Treat plants with poisons.

Import vehicles and their humans.
Add power lines, churches, chain-link fences,
strip malls, and car dealerships, to taste.


				--Paul Kotheimer
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