Occupying Space
Isaiah was there
in the wings
distributing tales,
parables
like flyers
handed out
on New York streets
advertising Triple X
shows or dry-cleaning specials.
It doesn't seem like
litter when the paper
is pink or sonic yellow.
Without the
trench coat, the sunglasses,
greasy hair or 2 day stubble
Isaiah would be lost in the crowd—
unable to hail a cab.
He'd have to take his act
on the road, eating out of
vending machines, begging strangers
for money, sleeping at rest stops.
Eventually he'd wind up at the shore,
his blistered feet bathed in
soft sand, ocean water.
The beach is littered with
Jellyfish. They're plump and pink,
but still lethal. It'd take a
shovel to scoop them up
and throw them back in.
The beach is also littered
with Starfish. Easy to
retrieve, return to the ocean.
The temptation to sever the
arms might occur to him
because they only
seem good for eye candy
like the girls in the nightclubs,
the Triple X shows
wrapped around poles, men or
each other. A squeeze of the
hand could make quick work of a
Starfish, the guts oozing and
nobody nowhere to protest, to
file a civil suit, to give any
thought about it at all.
Isaiah should not give up his
day job—he should keep his
resume updated, his references on file.
Isaiah was there
in the wings
distributing tales,
parables
like flyers
handed out
on New York streets
advertising Triple X
shows or dry-cleaning specials.
It doesn't seem like
litter when the paper
is pink or sonic yellow.
Without the
trench coat, the sunglasses,
greasy hair or 2 day stubble
Isaiah would be lost in the crowd—
unable to hail a cab.
He'd have to take his act
on the road, eating out of
vending machines, begging strangers
for money, sleeping at rest stops.
Eventually he'd wind up at the shore,
his blistered feet bathed in
soft sand, ocean water.
The beach is littered with
Jellyfish. They're plump and pink,
but still lethal. It'd take a
shovel to scoop them up
and throw them back in.
The beach is also littered
with Starfish. Easy to
retrieve, return to the ocean.
The temptation to sever the
arms might occur to him
because they only
seem good for eye candy
like the girls in the nightclubs,
the Triple X shows
wrapped around poles, men or
each other. A squeeze of the
hand could make quick work of a
Starfish, the guts oozing and
nobody nowhere to protest, to
file a civil suit, to give any
thought about it at all.
Isaiah should not give up his
day job—he should keep his
resume updated, his references on file.