Parking, April 23, 2001
Fogel, Aaron
Parking, April 23, 2001 An old man, backpacked And squat, offers, on seeing me Put six quarters, one after the other, in the meter (Usually I bicycle over the bridge Today I am indulging a need...
...Walking to my office, feeling Scolded and wretched by no doubt A Buddha, thinking how much There is to repent, how much Unchangeable in my wretched, unkind life, I pass one of the university Gardeners with a black Airblower, who for no clear reason Looks at me and says Somahzeeahlahs...
...Summer's-here-at-last...
...I agree, Not understanding, and then, I turn round, I've got it, I say, Yes, at last At last Summers, ears, alas...
...Awkwardly...
...That's the Way things are he says, And I say, meaning something Other than what he thinks, "Things have got to change...
...For some reason I collect Them," he says...
...He repeats Somahzeeahlahs...
...Not knowing What he's said, I grin foolishly, and ask, Awkwardly, What...
...Parking, April 23, 2001 An old man, backpacked And squat, offers, on seeing me Put six quarters, one after the other, in the meter (Usually I bicycle over the bridge Today I am indulging a need for time) To stand, for ten dollars, he says, sarcastically, Here all day long and put them In for me, and I laugh And say I only need three hours...
...Then he spots A penny under my car and Asks if it's mine...
...I say no...
...He walks a few feet ahead, Turns, and says, I could Tell you a whole lot about Change if we had time, But you might not understand...
...Aaron Fogell...
...Aaron Fogelhere-at-last...
Vol. 130 • August 2003 • No. 14
