Line Up
Stand on one line to register
to see whomever is medical.
Settle down to confront lines
of numbers called “budget”.
Sit and wait wait wait more wait
until medical rushes in fast talk
handing you a prescription.
Stand on another line to pay
clinic charges. Walk over to the
cold bus line. Wait wait wait.
Get on winding line at drug counter
to pay for prescription. Stand on
a very L O N G grocery store line.
Hurry up now to come home.
The bottom line is minus $112.
Boxed macaroni mix for dinner.
Walk quickly down that long line of
apartments each door mud brown.
You have followed the straight and
narrow in this personal hell of lines.
all the noise
constant chatter of streaming news
death turmoil destruction spaced
with random acts of kindness
togetherness as families reunite
after leaving that COVID expanse
some young unable to walk now
policing and surveillance everywhere
yet vandals continue under
“boys will be boys” becoming men
pushing women around grabbing their
genitals blackening eyes burning down
houses cursing those who bring life
drugs the great spider web to keep
workers marching in step AND constant
appeals for donations to politicians
those who proclaim to be famous
are more infamous than ever
showing off their bling for brains
Clandestine
In the rinse of this gray day unrolling
before us like a canister of empty film.
Wanting to scream out against
flat skies, tear up coarse air.
Another gray day gnawing
at us sounding metallic beats.
We are put through our paces
those long lists of minutiae.
Acrid weariness crawls up spine
shifting pain like broken shards
of glass cutting mouths open.
Eyelids want to droop shut.
Today marches forward….another
tin soldier knocking yesterday aside.
Each night coming faster faster,
winds blowing stronger stronger.
Cats howls in cold circles as
ragged leaves cling to boughs.
Raindrops fall like black ink
under small pools of light.
Darkness gathers close…
my shadow, that long black
silhouette slanting down
follows me into the long night.
