Battered by the Rain

battered by the rain bowled over by the wind supplicant to winter snows and sizzled by the summer sun this was all i hoped to be almost too tired to walk sometimes consumed willingly by a longing that sought no end finding the warm flame of cosmic love in the streetlights reflected on wet pavement

i needed only a bunk somewhere a desk and some drawers for my clothes some pop-tarts and a cup of lentil soup each day

if demonstrators were gathering on first avenue to stand and bear witness if a friend needed help finding the airport to lead her to the queens-bound f train at two a.m. pushed along the sidewalk by the throngs pressed on all sides by other riders on the six

content to remain unrecognized wherever i went that was the only person i knew how to be