from Steinway Street: portraits from the past: my life in retail: Debbie Does It Again

Debbie Does It Again

that girl with the sneakers up her coat
doesn’t have a chance
Debbie sees her
has known from the start what she was up to
and can even tell you what size they are
the guy missing a heel can’t trade-in
Debbie has that calm bead his way
he’ll stare at those size 11’s all day long
but he’ll never own the leather unless he pays
she looks like a kid about to fall asleep
but she sees it all
Kojac couldn’t do better
and in this war
she’s the one you take to the front lines
that is of course if she’s not there already
keeping watch until you come

from A dream of trains by Pablo Neruda

I was alone in the solitary train,
but not only was I alone–
a host of solitudes were gathered
around the hope of the journey,
like peasants on the platforms.
And I, in the train, like stale smoke,
with so many shiftless souls,
burdened by so many deaths,
felt myself lost on a journey
in which nothing was moving
but my exhausted heart.

translated by Alastair Reid

a bubble

the times
can drive one
to live
in a bubble
no pain sorrow
no horror
no anger
a false sense
of peace
& whatever happiness
one can find
between
someone’s thighs