the subway

rocketing through darkness
through holes underneath the earth
like a fast-moving worm or a snake
all kinds of humans jostle from side to side

a loud screech, and i’m to mind the gap for the 60th time and outside
the smell of piss and dirt and exhaust
someone yells manhgoes!
because I want to eat fresh fruit
in darkness and dust

an old woman sits on a bench
her feet are black with dirt
bruises and sores on her legs
her arms are crossed
her eyes, too
everything she owns, is in a few plastic bags within reach

we scurry past
just another unpleasantness
a forgotten thing
in the darkness beneath the earth


This one was inspired by a recent trip to NYC last weekend… which is why I missed posting last Monday, actually. Saw a Yankee game, among other things! Maybe I’ll do a blog post about it later this week if I have time. Happy Monday!

-AJM