I'm Not A Man

I'm not a poet.
I'm not a writer.
I'm not an actor.
I'm not a waiter.
I'm not a lover.
I'm not a crook.
I'm not a teacher.
And I'm not a drunk.

I am a soul lonely,
disparate rider
on the Newark bound
under river sleepy vibrating
metal train
coming from
the city
where I was
just a forlorn speck
scuttling over streets of rotting pidgeons
and beer bottles

going nowhere
and finally
coming home.

1/11/90