LIFE CAN BE BURDENSOME / SAVOR ITS MOMENTS
Within the Dim Light of Failure
It has been a long day
with little success.
The subway is crowded
and people are damp
from the rain.
I fold my umbrella,
sit with my hands
on my lap.
A young Asian girl
with bangs that hang
over her eyes
sits down beside me.
She unwraps a candy,
a plum flavored drop
she holds to her lips.
We move through the city.
There are street lamps
that flash in the windows.
I am crushed
by the weight of the day.
Her hair is perfumed
and held
with a dragon barrette.
I think of small moments
of pleasure.
She smiles politely
as I glance at her face.