The Dirty
By Susan Mardele
I see you stopped at the light, man.
Me on the corner beggin’ a dollar.
Don’t think I hear the doors lock?
See your wife handin’ you a bill? You ignorin’ it?
You starin’ ahead, gunnin’ it away from the light.
Gotta make the ridin’ lawnmower sale at Walmart, I guess.
They kept me a while in Green Oaks
but my time run out.
Was crazy sober when I couldn’t get nothin’.
They fed me though.
Gave me pills that made me stupid.
Pills run out a while back.
Got me ten bucks yesterday, though,
enough for a Big Mac and a pint.
For once the cops didn’t find me.
Guess them bushes was thick enough.
I see you man, fat cat in a pickup,
clean truck, clean shirt, clean wife.
Think the dirty’s gonna rub off?
Judgin’ me – “Dirty drunk.
Ain’t gonna rip me off.”
You don’t know where I been man.
All you see is the dirty.