Free Thursday

Barry Spacks

Free Thursday at the Art Museum
you stand so long before a painting
of four tipsy monks on a bridge in a gorge

that when this homeless fellow comes close
to hit you up for some change you whisper
"How much?" "What?" "How much do you want?"

This stops him. He tilts his head like a bird...
you're either nuts or a pervert...he starts
to slide away. Then stops. Whispers:

"How much you got?" -- and you want to give him
everything: your three credit cards,
impeccable credit rating, job,

Volvo, laptop, gift of gab.
In shame you slip him a dollar. He nods.
Outside the kids are climbing the statues;

outside it's happening: play of the fountain:
wind snapping ten-foot banners: birds
cheeping in trees like cascading pennies.

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2River

The 2River View, 1_1 (Fall 1996)