DISTANCES
Why is there no love or hope
in this world of saline and poison?
in this world of saline and poison?
Land is hard in the land of loss,
cities in desolation,
hard tack and hard candy.
cities in desolation,
hard tack and hard candy.
We are not a business full of centipedes—
please stand back—
please stand back—
there is too much breath in your dust.
Have we passed the house they never knew?
Have we passed the house they never knew?
Centipede V Blind Hunger -- Sadan Vague
Hard tack is a biscuit (cracker) made from flour, water, and salt (sometimes) which was used as food on long voyages and military campaigns. The name derives from the British sailors’ slang for food, "tack" but is also known as brewis, cabin bread, pilot bread, sea biscuit, sea bread, ship's biscuit, dog biscuits, molar breakers, sheet iron, tooth dullers, and worm castles. Australian and New Zealand military personnel knew them with some sarcasm as ANZAC wafers or ANZAC tiles (in contradistinction to the sweet Anzac biscuits, made of rolled oats, flour, sugar, butter, golden syrup, baking soda, water, and desiccated coconut). It was often dunked in brine, coffee, or some other liquid to soften it; in 1588 the daily ration on a British Royal Navy vessel was 1 pound of hard tack and 1 gallon of beer.
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