stuck in the 

    slot 

        you watched 

but left feeling 

less than - 

 echo that 

   the fabric 

reminded you of 

      old sidewalks -

less than that 

 you wore an 

overcoat 

  on the greyhound to NY

  sling 

sly 

some 

stupid 

        the city of alphabets

                                    and drunks in doorways 

1982

    two years away 

              in the back room were cutouts of nude women 

taped to the wall

    it smelled like fixer 

                                   you still have the photographs 

                                                 somewhere