poems for the young and tough

yes, it’s true -- I’m mellowing

in the old days

to cross my room you’d have to

step around and between

discarded trash and empty

bottles but

now the trash is

packed neatly into

sturdy garbage cans;

also I’m a good citizen, I save

my bottles for the city of Los

Angeles to

recycle

and I haven’t been in a drunk

tank for a good ten

years.

boring, isn’t it?

but not for me as I now

stay in at night,

listen to

Mahler and watch the walls

dance;

as a newly mellow recluse that’s good enough

for me.

so I’m turning the streets back over

to you,

tough guy.