circular groundings in bubbular spaces

sitting there on a curb
is a young man
propped up
by the strong sour smell of used piss
and the fecal odor of public toilets
in his long boney hands
is a big knappy head smothering
in dread locks and corn rows
and stubby little plaits
big eyes red bulging there in his head
staring down at things
floating here in the gutter

cross thuh street
is another young man
oiled and perfumed
on Egyptian sand dunes
wit curly hair do’s and Air tennis shoes
posing there
in mean hungry stares
cross pickled pig feet and lean limousines
tanning there
in wall street stalls and clean ivy halls
cunningly crossing over
into some ‘nother body else-ing

Copyright © 1988 Asili Ya Nadhiri