Up the Avenue
Twin brother and sister
crouched behind a hydrant
say together
Excuse me, mister
could we have a dollar?
and hold out their hands
Sorry I don’t have a dollar
which is true not one dollar
and as I step away with my bag
over one shoulder they shout
FUCK YOU
I turn around
How could they be so abreast
already of praxis?
and say
That’s stone cold!
Laughing they lean toward me
and in unison whisper
F U C K Y O U
crouched behind a hydrant
say together
Excuse me, mister
could we have a dollar?
and hold out their hands
Sorry I don’t have a dollar
which is true not one dollar
and as I step away with my bag
over one shoulder they shout
FUCK YOU
I turn around
How could they be so abreast
already of praxis?
and say
That’s stone cold!
Laughing they lean toward me
and in unison whisper
F U C K Y O U
Zachary LaMalfa is a poet and teacher from New Jersey. He currently adjunct-instructs courses in English and literature at CUNY.