the ideas and the voices
echoing in chests and heads label those
the eyes
profile by sizing up
we see
typing by appearances
even if the tongue doesn't say the pejoratives

taking a walk to the corner store
a woman is lying face down on the street
next to a grocery cart
full of boxes, broken dolls, and stained rags

the head chatters
a bag-lady with broken-brain, drunk, street bum
homeless parasite,

the pedestrians frown, and walk by
saying to themselves

she's the drain on society
the bum
the druggy
the homeless parasite
labels popping out
above their heads like speech-bubbles

the lady whimpers

more selfexcusing speech-balloons

but she's from that side of the tracks
just look at the shade
I bet she's strung out on meth
I can't do a thing
I don't have coin
going to a meeting
she's just a conniving decoy

balloons
gas-filled floating above the heads
labeling them microscopic







3.6 7/5
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson