poem of the day 09.05.14

margaret in 5G

took me for a potential rapist

in the laundry room

once when i was trying to wash

my stained underwear

now, she’s rapping on my door with her cane

because she can’t get her ass

back up to her own apartment

with both elevators broken in this place

my how the tides have turned, i think

sipping on the first of many wines

but i get up to help margaret anyway

because vindictiveness is not all

that it’s cracked up to be

she’s sweat-soaked and confused in the lobby

she says, it’s so hot

i tell her that’s because she’s wearing a jacket

in ninety-degree heat

she’s like a hunchback walking around in circles

dazed and confused on a wednesday night

i hope to christ that i never get this old and helpless

that i’ll have courage to throw myself

in the east river if i can’t even get in my front door

margaret says, grab my bags, will you?

she smacks a sack of barnes and noble bags with that cane

and i grab them all like we’re both coming home

from a day of shopping in the city

margaret says, get behind me, god damn it

so i don’t fall

and for five flights i’m on her like i’m lester hayes

as we take one step at a time

in the sweltering sludge of this dying summer

the trim and the fit

are racing up and down the steps

a few look and shake their heads

either at margaret or at me

they are the new breed in this building and i despise them all

by the fifth floor i feel like shit

i can smell that glass of wine coming through

my nostrils and my pores

margaret still has that jacket on

she’s a stream of sweat and damp hair

and i wonder how in the hell she’s still doing it

she says, put my bags by the door

so i do

then i come back over to get her

but she waves me away

margaret says, you want anything for doing this?

like a drink or some money?

i tell her no and then introduce myself

so that maybe next time in the laundry room

we can both just fold our sheets instead of hurling accusations

then head back down the stairs

it’s much easier this way

i pass some jack ass

kicking at the stalled elevator door

he’s forty years younger than margaret

and i got about fifteen on him

he sighs and grunts

tells me how this is a bunch of bullshit

then he goes back to manically pressing buttons

smacking his head against the door

praying, betting on the fountain of youth

to get him there.