proving grounds

the particular street he keeps to

watches politics and societies in decay

this is the only place he has to stay and so, he watches

across the street from his window he looks onto a hostel

of mistresses and johns, young kids spending their nights in travel, and business men unpeforming fidelity.

down the street, not ten doors away, a police station incarcerates the very sort in the hostel: every day and most of the night.

these are the unsatisfying proving grounds of decay where whores and nymphomaniacs march down the street two by two — police suspending either arm.

and powerful men leave a dollar for each officer in their service by the pillow.

but this is his street, and no patrol-man or working-woman raise their heads for him.

he knows

the lies he has to tell deserve no proof for these grounds

look back