A Good-Bye, Before The Next Hello

Today's the first day of flowers and figs,

of Brazilian Pepper Trees scrawny

not big, and of scrubbing old floors

down on both aching knees,

(but happily not my good luck),

my sore back drugged like a junkie

who lives in the alley out there, it's

here in this empty apartment that I'm

stoned on ibuprofen galore,

I've walked and I've sat on this old hardwood

and tile reading books of poems and art,

now and again a political tome, stared at

the computer screen for too long a while,

it's here I've penned much of my own poetic

lines, whose feelings and words whispered

freedom and fullness like nothing else has,

and what's true for sure is that this floor

stuck thick with three years of greasy

grime waits my attention this morn as I

clench my cracked knuckles and jaw full

of joy, green sponge laden with Ajax and

Comet and Mr.Clean

(Donner and Blixen seem to have flown

this scene, as quite soon I shall as well),

and it's all happening, thank God, in 3/4 time!