May 2022 – Aremyfeetofftheground

Twelve

On a roaming evening in a town called Twelve, the houses were all of glass. One could see, as one passed, the cold and the warm hearths, the worshippings, the pointing fingers. The quick caresses or the coldness of turned backs and folded arms.

The street of shops was all dull metal, windowless with risings of sooty smoke . I heard the hiss of pavement rain, and stopped for a slowly train. On a lime-lit billboard in a field of wild rice, broad brush strokes said SEVEN, a devil’s tail pointing straight ahead.

All my life

I feel odd and strange: as if someone from the future has breezed into my room. From a point of light in a grey sky he comes. He has broken wings and sunken eyes, but smiles and caresses my face with warm hands. And he says…no, his eyes say…”All your life. All your life.”

(With acknowledgement to Lennon / McCartney)

[Art by Francis Picabia- “The infinity of God”

Laundromat

My opinion is that some go there with weeks worth of dirty laundry and take up too many washers & dryers.

Others come and empty the change machines for their poker games or parking meters, then leave.

At least one has stolen a nice sweater, when they thought no one was looking. They put it with their laundry, got in their car, and left. I took a license number.

There is a shy man who sits on the window ledge. Looks at you like a puppy and smiles as you enter or leave. It’s unsettling.

Once, a hundred-dollar bill was found in an otherwise empty dryer.

Another time, a bag containing a large piece of shit was found in a dryer when a person was taking their clothes out. They had to rewash and dry everything.

Some just sit on the chairs and don’t speak at all, and don’t read. Only stare. It’s unsettling.

Some come there, and their side gig is meeting new people. They chat you up when you’re the one who’s sitting and staring. It’s unsettling.

There’s a sign on the door that says, “This door locks automatically at 11pm.” Does that mean you are trapped inside if you’re late getting out? What if you have two or three loads to take to the car, but you’re locked out before you can get the last one? It’s unsettling.