At the Metro

At the Metro Shifting the needle To an intangible void Emerging from the depths Caterpillars running on rails and tracks As too , mouse and rat Critters, mere apparitions , ruin beds and consume our heads Stuffy, musty fumes up the nose Urine and whatever else, upsets nonetheless Beggars’ hands chopped off Thieves armed with words and stuff Passengers board As every station comes to a halt Legs crossed or spread Bags held, secured or in contest A Pardon ,shove or shrug Figures , nameless , pinned or badged Blocking the gates or standing in the paths seats left toasted and smeared with sweat Mid December Past midnight Just clocked out Strange eyes , Wander about Suspicion raises my alarm His curiosity is pronounced Two bulging eyes and a joker smile Slim , staggering black male Bulky and oversized khaki jacket Pockets upon pockets I push them down Redirecting my attention to something else Scans my frame , shadow and psyche Me Glued, frozen to the pole Raises up off his seat Gallops up the steep Waiting for me Just one block away Somebody’s making me uncomfortable Fellow worker walks me to my door Sunken, crumbly tissue , soaked Bloody red , Mirroring eyes and nasal droplets Aligned the smooth horizontal carpet Thread of my crisp white handkerchief eased , dissolved his fatigue and unrest Thank you He said As he left Marckincia Jean Free verse 08/05/2024