Passing By

Passing by

I hear your heartbeat,

see the fire in your soul.

It ignites the air around

your wilted body

while agony screams from still lips

and your feet jerk

every now and then

as though you're running.

But mostly you are motionless,

except to rattle a tin cup

along Fifth Avenue

in the middle of the day.

Copyright 2010 JO Janoski