Zoo at Night

my eyes

cage

the world

grab chunks and change it

. . .

to

impressions

of

the

without

watermarked

by

experience

wrapped

in

moods

whitewashed

in

wishes

this picture in picture is

captured by questionable cameraman

rolling tape

–and editing with hamfist–

lowering the boom

and playing the bias

the movie remains

long after credits roll

— blame and acclaim courtesy of. . .

snapshots

of memory

–and mind’s eye micro expressions

–and ethereal facades of

towns not wholly built

And like any town

there are areas

best avoided

red light

and skid row

and

war zones

and

dead ends

unsafe to traverse

and pacing

those carved roads

in my grey real estate

–which risky areas increase with foot traffic–

I purposefully pick the path

more picturesque

ignoring construction

on the ghetto inside

–ignoring tourists tossing peanuts, too–

so it

subsides.