032115   032124

Monroe Avenue Promenade 
the poems mark up a neighborhood an urban street
the author intended and invited
a convenience store to consign the book 
prop up a few in the checkout lane
a dollar fifty for one  
that was the idea 
the store said No
none were sold
none were there.
Nearly 40 years and greater than a thousand poems later
the author is now as then
it is a little bit unnerving 
having so many poems and none known
to tag with a common metaphor
none in the light of day.
Yet more frightening would be
the wasted life had I written none
what you end up with is your solitary life.