CTA

Blue Line SE Harlem - Logan late evening
rucksack slung with snow shoes
as big as the tanglehaired boy behind it
reachin dirty fingers into seedbag
silent deep in his face don't hear me
but laughs silent & big when an apple
is tossed in his lap as the door opens.

Red Line S Loop-95th early evening
her mother, small brother sleep
as the girl tears silently
& watches me eat mcdonalds
that sticks in my throat.

Blue Line NW Loop-Logan late nite
the blood is flowing from his cut hand
i fumble drunkenly over spanish, doctora, medicina, comprende?
as i bind it with my green kerchief.

#82 N Homan-Wrightwood late evening
praying mantis perched on shoulder, the worn man asks the kid
if he wants it, "no? sure? okay- be good!"

Blue Line NW Loop - Logan late nite
he's picking his feet, his woman passed out beside him,
he says "what? my feet are messed up?"
"hey man, if your feet are messed up your feet are messed up, what you gonna do?"
"they got....cracked and....pus....all scabbed over....just got out of prison....since i was 15...killed the man who killed my father. I mean, what I'm gonna do, go to the cops...grew up on the west side..."
"shit man, can't judge, if someone killed my dad-"
"you a damn drunk!...yes you are, drinkin on public transit, you a drunk..."
across from me, i hear the man in the batman skullcap rattle his string of NA keychains...
"...see, that's what I'm sayin, people ridin the train, no one ever talks to each other, it's like..."
"well, here's my stop-"
"alrite, you have a nice one, & don't drink too much!"
"I wont...I mean, I probably will, but you know..."