EVEN SHE.

A WOMAN IN NEW YORK AND HER DESIRE TO EXPERIENCE LIFE DEEPER.

Some things you have to
Wait for, but what of the

Road to Damascus kind
Of experience, what of that?

Even in Rochester, New York,
One wants the experiences

At least once in a lifetime, at
Least once to break through

The dumb wires of experiences
Of the every day dross, and she

Musing over matters, she the
African American at the bus

Stop, even she wants that, wants
To feel things higher, more deeply,

Like sparks along the wires, the
Nerves, and oh, she says, if I could

Just this one time feel that, if I
Could just feel for one moment

Really alive, really feel the deep
Sense of being here, despite the

Wishy-washy every day feel of
The getting on with things, despite

That, oh to be alive, oh to really feel,
She mutters, and the people passing

Look at her and grin or shake their
Heads and say, these oddities these

Half world nutters, and there is no
Light from heaven or voice from a

Cloud, just the shallow critical two bit
Assessments from the passing crowd.

Author's Note

PHOTO BY ARLEEN HODGE.