Sister

Hey sister, she says, she has
long black hair and no gloves, hey
sister she says, someone gave me a dollar I
need another one for the bus, hey sister
can you help me out.

I don't know what is in my eyes I'm
hoping for I don't know, interest, commiseration, I've
been short for the bus myself on occasion, I'm
afraid though that it is pity because I
do feel sorry for her, I hope I
don't look afraid although I am, I
fear everything about her, she's
poor and that scares me and she's
needy and that scares me, and I
tell her, I don't have change but here I
have bus tickets, I
can give you one of those.

Her face falls apart around her eyes
she looks near tears, she says, thank
you, bless you, I have to get to Osbourne
and I can't walk that far I've walked
from the North End already and I'm
so tired, thank you. No worries, I
say and I walk away and I feel, I
don't know, relieved or sick or
filled full of loathing for everything
about this city, everything I ever
hated about myself.