The Street Vender’s Politics

Step into the blindness
Away from the street vender’s politics.
Don’t look. Don’t listen…listen:
Come back to see me tomorrow.
You can have it for a dollar.
How much? Fifty cents or a quarter…
Customers get to choose.

Sit up here, away from her,
Where you can discuss drapes and
Whatnot. She’s been here over 25 years.
She doesn’t talk about the most current books.
Oh yes, she reads constantly…Joan of Arc,
The history of Islam, that’s in French…
Oh, my lessons…every day.

He wants watches. He wants this to be a church.
It is a business. A commercial enterprise.
Come see me tomorrow. You need the sunshine.
The vender’s politics is in her customers
And in her suppliers. The car pulls up.
He climbs out…one bag,
Two bags. He always brings me things.
I save the watches for the watch man.

You can have the toy, too. And the scarves.
No charge. How much? A dollar is ok.
I was getting three for that yesterday.
I need to make room for tomorrow’s merchandise.
I can’t give you that. I need it for tomorrow.
How is the musician today?
I have to look at eighty drawings when he comes.

Come back tomorrow. The sun will do you good.