poem of the day 05.22.09

skateboard

i watch
this kid play
with a miniature skateboard
on the morning train
flipping it
and flipping it
the little black skateboard
screeching all
over the plastic seats
falling on the cold subway
floor
with a metallic thud
and i think
how wonderful
it would be
to do the same thing
to the kid
flipping him
and flipping him
dropping him over and over
on the cold
subway floor
with a metallic thud
then i think about
how it is only monday
after working six days straight
and i wonder how long
it’s been since
i’ve been out of new york city
for any length of time
too long
i’ve been too long
on the cold subway floor.