Trabajo

Laborers loitering
on street corners

Morning cold drizzle
T-shirts and hoodies.

America 1939?
America 2009!

No bombs strapped
to their bodies

No agendas
just work-boots.

Middle-aged men with
determined looks

Street-wise young men
with pretty looks.

No eye contact with
chicos bonitos.

Ola, Buenos Diaz.

Smiles greet my
lame Spanish

No, I am not your
salvation today.

Adios.

I retreat to cafe
black coffee and poetry

Leaving the four corners
to hombres, who mutter:

"Ningun trabajo hoy".
(No work today).

Puma/MMIX