an african american man

with a leather chicago bears derby

and three gaudy rings on his left hand

he's telling me louisiana's where its at

how he's getting together financing

for a used bulldozer and a front end loader

big money to be made on clean up

government contracts up the ying yang

he's going down there to make his fortune

and if i want in

all i have to say is jump

your loss he says

as he finishes his laundry and

drives off in a beaten chevy cavalier

leaving me wondering

if the fresher hell

is being saddled with the desire for money

or flattened as i am

by the numbness

of wanting nothing.