Bringing Down the House

When they tore down the auditorium,
The facade went first, rebar snarling out like a
Nest of centipedes. When they tore down
The auditorium, excavators
And backhoes roamed like sci-fi mantises,
Munching with hydraulic jaws as they
Hunted and gathered and devoured. When they
Tore down the auditorium, percussive
Wrecking balls kept time
As I thought of years of arts performing magic.