Derelict

I remember the country

though it could have been

any city center

where I waited for a train

and watched cops sweep

the homeless from where

they had fallen asleep drunk

the night before

A few stood defiant on the

platform protecting their home

one shadow boxed a parking cone

while his brothers cheered

and in one languid hook

brought the symbol of order

toppling down to the tracks

The policeman looked annoyed

but made no effort

to stand it upright

the bums cheered this small

victory as he walked away

Later waiting for a bus I saw

a vagrant staggering and coming

to rest with his head and bottle

splitting simultaneously on the

edge of a curb

We all rushed to help him and

I thought how very difficult it is

to get anywhere these days

for any of us really

We are all derelicts