empty bottle in a bag,
sleeping on the street—
sleeping on the street—
grizzled face under a stocking cap
battered, as from a stag-
fight, poor homeless guy on a mat:
battered, as from a stag-
fight, poor homeless guy on a mat:
imagine someone would kindly invite
me into their home, wrap me in their flag
of pity, the bleeding mercy of the street;
me into their home, wrap me in their flag
of pity, the bleeding mercy of the street;
imagine they would give me grub to eat,
tie a nice nosebag
of barley for this horseless guy on a mat—
tie a nice nosebag
of barley for this horseless guy on a mat—
as if it totally didn’t matter that
my mittened fingers peep, my shirt’s a foul rag,
my closed eyes bear the fist marks of the street:
my mittened fingers peep, my shirt’s a foul rag,
my closed eyes bear the fist marks of the street:
someone is truly worried that my feet
might freeze off, and I’ll lie with wooden pegs—
a homeless guy on a mat,
sleeping on the street.
might freeze off, and I’ll lie with wooden pegs—
a homeless guy on a mat,
sleeping on the street.
