poem of the day 06.19.13

surveillance state

she comes up to me

with her prune face and shitty james patterson novel

i want you to check the surveillance tape, she says

pointing at the security camera that’s always aimed at me

why? i ask

because some kid spilled candy outside

and i stepped in it

i want to find out who this hooligan is, she says

lady, last week some kid got stabbed on this block

she rolls her eyes at this

what’s a little stabbing

when there’s jujubes scattered all over the pavement?

get the tape, she says, shaking the patterson in my face

this isn’t 1985, i tell her

huh?

there is no tape, i say

it’s a dvr

jesus christ, she says

can’t you do anything?

rewind the dvr?

i mean someone needs to get this kid

and teach him a lesson about decency and respect

mam, last month the bodega across the street

get held up at gunpoint

so? she says

nothing, i say

they sell outdated meats anyway

then we stand there looking at the video screen

as it flashes the interior and exterior of the building

as it shows us around the corner and down the block

the front entrance with the smallest trace of candy littered about

see? see? she shouts

like she’s just caught bin laden or dillinger in the act

there it is!

there it is!

evidence

evidence to get that little bastard

get the surveillance tape, she shouts

to whoever will listen

while i grab a broom and a dustpan

and head out into the horrible heat of the day

to clean up the crime scene

forgetting to tell her that back in january

two girls were mugged and almost raped in this neighborhood

but what would it matter to her

without there being even one

snickers bar wrapper at the crime scene?