the thing i wrote

on the way to the music
was when i was sitting in my car
outside the bar
waiting/hoping

the thing i wrote was on a brown paper bag
from ace hardware
once, it held gloves

the thing i wrote was about the people in the night
and how we wait/hope
and it was this:

and around ten

(local radio
in the car
plays B52s
then
Black Flag
and I am
smiling
and sad)

the tram goes by
on the boardwalk
and that’s better
than cop cars
and the parks dept

later the old people
will leave
will waddle away
singing songs to each other

and i will smile
and be wondering