THE BARE ESSENTIALS

                The word from the front is encouraging;

                The checks have arrived on time,

                There are the rustlings of interest

               And the distance is closing.

                The subway filled with all

                The pretty girls

                Going into the city

                They get on

                An undercover watches me finger my

                Pack of cigarettes

                The full moon

                The first collar sweat of spring

                The arousal

                Stockpiles of weapons

                A forty and toilet paper at the bodega

                A fresh swath of air

                All

                The bare essentials

                There are reports of people

                Playing in the parks and the sunshines

                They’ve taken their blocks

                                their streets

                Back

                There’s been a sighting of

                         Da Vinci

                With a spray can

                In Riverside Park

                He was seen smoking a joint and laughing

                All by himself