Condemn by some social illness,
life's inadvertence
this old soldier sitting on the front steps
of our apartment, apologizing to his cat.
My neighbor has no apathy for him.
He says he has been living on the streets
for the last thirty five years.
He's just moved in and taken over.
Life passing us bye providence outside our reach.
This old man says he can recite ever
store light sign message,
in this whole lit up city.
Listening to him is an amazing thing.
He sits in his apartment
at his kitchen table most of the time.
Playing solitaire.
Philosophizing
with his cat, Thomas.
They talk about the indigenous
rhythms that make up their world,
and the merry-go ride, down at the Seattle Center.
They walk down there about every other day.
I asked him,
what do you two talk about.
He tells me "We talk about the great propitiation.
The kids who live on the streets.
Our friends who are out there hungry,
and whether Thomas
is going to find any new friends here.
And other times we just go fishing.
Thomas loves to go fishing".
The other day my neighbor recovered from his conceit
put a can of tuna in the dish they keep out back.
for THOMas THE cat. |
