Street Scenes

On Kane Street a guy was jabbering into a phone
about so-and-so and this-and-that.

On Degraw Street a woman with a huge shock of gray hair
was pushing a cart with precisely two long loaves of bread
and a bundle of sunflowers inside.

On Warren Street a little kid was just standing alone at the top
of a stoop in front of a brownstone crying his lungs out.

On Pacific Street three little girls all stood with sticks in their hands
poking at a puddle as their mothers stood nearby talking animatedly.

On Clinton Street a big fence blocked the road at Kane Street
where a church steeple had collapsed on a man and killed
him earlier this summer.

On Court Street two men in bright lycra on bicycles rode down the middle
of the street. I heard one of the men say the words "Roxy Music" very loudly .

On Baltic Street I tried to smile at a man carrying grocery bags
in both hands but he averted his glance rather than smiling back.

On Amity Street there were a group of hospital workers in scrubs
with laminated identification placards pinned to their chests
all standing around smoking and chatting in a very serious manner.

On Bergen Street I saw a woman on a bicycle that was about three
sizes too small for her. I thought maybe she had borrowed a child's
bike in order to get somewhere fast.

On Henry Street I saw a man with a "Smith & Butler" t-shirt on. I'd seen
him just a few days before with the same shirt on walking down 7th Avenue.