Consumer Salvation

A young man in a suit and a long rich coat
     nodded off on the bus seat before me,
          a bright red bow package his companion

The Times lay in his lap, propped on one of the commuter poles.
     His headline read: Shopping didn't save us last year,
          Can it save us this year?

And the paper played on:
     George Bush's socks didn't work,
          maybe Clinton's laptops will.

     It seems that the Times has taken to writing exclusively in koans.

I have this eerie feeling like the guy isn't sleeping, but praying?
     Reflecting on the mysteries of Bush's socks and laptops
          Placing his order with some consumer Messiah for a world where shopping will save us.