Ravaged Rain Land Street
You can get born, live, die, and be dead on this street
From baby candy shop to straight drag bar, wedding store, parking garage, foie gras restaurant, to taxidermist
And pet store, quickie mart, theater hall, black hooker bar, and antique shops
To apothecaries and a doctor, a travel agent, and a realtor, maybe, bakers and a laundromat for sure
African bars, Greek diner, hat shop, optician, gourmet butcher, Flemish café’s…
Panic strikes, heart pounding, lungs constrained, tears building, early morning
Truck delivering flour or coffee
Restaurant trash pickup and glass recycling
Street cleaner, twice
Cars speeding down the narrowing street
Breaks squeaking, horns blowing
Voices, French cell phone conversation, drunk, dog, pigeon
Police sirens, drilling at some building site
High-heeled footsteps, baby carriage
Doors, yelling, whispers, wings flapping
You’re not here now
But I feel you all around me
Last night’s rain didn’t wash you off
And this morning’s humid air makes every breath bear your name
I yearn for touching your mouth
I reach out and encompass this land
But ravaged when it collapses on my soul not stirred by your breeze
