PRISONER EXPRESS

We sat together on the orange line subway -- that beautiful woman, my bag lady friend and me. I was on the run for some crime or another. But still we talked of poetry and things.

I said,
"The orange line will take us nowhere and back again, it may take hours." She said,
"I've nowhere to sleep and God knows it's cold out tonight."

Better go now. I've places to go and people to meet. Like two old paupers, we parted only to meet again. She was my only friend, my beautiful bag lady. So rich in wisdom -- everyone who did not know her laughed and threw stones -- I cried.

That beautiful, mild woman -- there are so many like her, my heart aches on finding her lying in the snow, I cried -- my bag lady friend and me.

I sat down where we used to sit in the name of love. I caught the last embers of the daylight die. And I thought I could hear her say,
"Stay for awhile."
"My beautiful bag lady friend, I've nowhere to sleep and God knows it's cold out tonight. Let's talk, I've missed you."