.Tick.

.whirR.

push through revolving door.

            soft 

    - shhhh - 

of empty space.encased.

then 

    - pah! - 

fresh air.released.to night.

Hearty breath cut short 

        - attacked - 

smoke rises from halal cart.

Mustachioed man 

in slightly.soiled apron

cuffs of his shirt.sleeves

rolled.up past elbows

- chop.chop.chops -

with short precise chops

- shh.shh -

sweeps meat around before

- choP.choP.choP -

- shh.scooP.flip -

He repeats the choreography.

    No white sauce.

.please.

    She looks forward 

in time.veers out of the path of a man whom she has seen :

He stood.

swaying boulder 

in the ebbing.flowing 

fourteenth street.stream.

    bow.legged legs.

sure.footed feet 

secured him to the spot.

Darkened.hardened VITAL

chest revealed.exposed.

through open shirt.

sweatshirt&coat.

Graceful dip 

at center throat 

arcs up to hearty apple.

scruff builds up to growth.

.clouds strong.hard jaw.

high cheekbones

slope up beneath light.blue.

green eyes.that stared 

    unseeing.longing at 

the clear blue sky.

.now.

.bring me that horizon.

She watches his back.

        .then above.

imposing smoke stacks distract.blinking.billowing over the river.beyond 

Brooklyn.

She turns.returns to the 

rhythm.of.the.street.

people rushing 

                   - through -

                              each other.

                                               * frAntic *

                                                                  repeat.

                                                                         repeat.

        repeat. 

.Bleep. 

        .bloop.

.Bleep.

.The Frogger.

Descend into the subway.

    Please.

    If you can spare

        some change.

    Something to eat.

The man with his cup.held up by two crutches.the center of these two stairs.

A FIXTURE

simply ignore.slip past.move on.through wide space round.

through pole

        (space)

            pole

to the turnstiles - swipe - through.

.phew.

.seasoned monthly passer.

.key to the kingdom.

Two amateurs.

beep

beep 

.get left behind.

She passes through.past uptown.downtown (4) (5) (6)

Descend stairs to the (L)

An arcing whoosh ascends.  

a mIghty gale.

picks uP her skirt.

flows through her hair.

.adventure is out there.

Eighth.avenue.bound train slows to a stop.

bing

bong 

    releases.rushing 

union.square 

        wave.

She fights.

    against the current.

leaps down from second step.

launches herself at the open portal

    .just as.

bing

bong

doors - whir - close behind.

She smiles.satisfying start.

Turn.

    .compose.

        .roll jaw up from the floor :

.a superhero.

Across.stationed at the local doors.'Dash'iell manifested :

Square jaw.clefted chin.

    .sly.crooked grin.

peek pearly whites

.beneath button nose.

        clear blue eyes peer out.amused.under sloping.

        furrowed brows.

The hair completes the Man.

close cut around except top.prominent blonde.curl.

not overdone but genuine.

Leather jacket.unzipped. reveals the plain.white.tee.

He shifts.eyes flit to meet. She.quick.averts hers first. 

.train pulls into station.

bing

bong

This is 6th Avenue

This is the train to

8th Avenue

The next and last stop is

8th Avenue

She jostles against.around the people getting on/off.

shakes.firm.regains her post

.superhero flickers a smirk.

She blushes.tucks head into chest.switches focus to her feet.

.goofy subway surfing.

The subway lurches.jerks.

She falls straight back. slams against warning sign :

Please

do not lean

against the doors

.dammit.

Her hand stays close to pole

.anticipates

equilibrium lost. 

She refuses to look uP.

Rattle.Rattle.Rattle

squeak!

They rattle low 

    beneath the street.

The train slows to a stop.

This is 

8th Avenue

This is 

the last stop

on this train

She turns to make the first escape.stalled.trapped before unopened doors.

He sidles up behind as 

bing

bong

released to eighth avenue 

platform. 

    .she pauses.

        looks right then left

.creature of habit.

- uncertain -

    which way to turn.

Superhero brushes past toward the center.winding stair.

.you right.you right.

She follows close behind.

He mounts the steps by two.

releasing keys from hip.

jinglejangle

.the MODERN knight.

She falls into his rhythm.

matching stride for stride.

.footsteps of a stranger.

There's a 

rUMble

from the farther stair.

The pace quickens.takes them down where (C) train just 

pulled in.

Confident.

    he makes the train.

enters the exact car.

door where he

.hiss.

.pOP.slAp.

 high.fives a fated friend.

bing

bong

The doors close - he is off.

.no longer of her story.

She.stays stalled at the base of the first stairs.

She shakes.sets her course.

    commence :

Past first cluster around worn.wood bench.garbage pail

    .eyes turn to watch her walk.consider.dismiss.

absorbed elsewhere.

A slouchy.grey.sweated man hangs off the rail below 

the second set of stairs.

.ogre.troll 

.under the bridge.

Riddless, he grunts.

    .adjusts.

        averts his eyes as she slips by his realm.

She passes one.

        two.

        three.

bronze figurines.

.save me, Smee!

One dollar.headed.three piece suit is dragged down

.below.

In the space between 

two stairs stands :

.drAgon.

In tight green top.firm fit jeans, sharp.featured.she pierces with her gaze.

The platform gets congested past the one that reads a book.peopled three peep.deep - she switches paths.

express track.along the yellow brick road.

Loping.

    long.

        not far before. 

working.man returning home.

Paint marks his hand that holds pack's strap.slung firm over one shoulder. 

jinglejangle

attracts eye:hip carabiner

clickclack

keys to his domain.his home.

Creature of habit she turns.

takes her seat.folded on 

the low.lying ledge where 

one bronze cop stops 

    two bronze have.nots'

escape through metal gate.

She settles in.takes out 

her pad and pen :

____________________________

L.TO-THE.A

pen taps down to page.Tick needle to record.whirr 

BEGIN

.Panic.Comes.In.wAves. 

-

.Strobing.Through.My.vEIns.

-

fOcus

.breathe.

A boy approaches to inspect.

- frozen -

Deer in the headlights 

of the all seeing child.

Will he smell it on me? 

Will he see it in my eyes? 

Should have drippy droppied. Allergies.    

.promise.

Poker face. 

Don'T.breathe. 

A beer belch bUIlDs. 

Pursed lips to hold it in. Slowly.Slowly air blown out the side.

        .subtle.

He stoops

- close cut curly mohawk bristles against the metal grate : tawny cub -

eye level to the bronze figurine.

Squaring off. Sizing up.

Capture him. 

    Time in a bottle. 

What is he wearing? 

    What is he saying? 

Foiled by 

    the foreign tongue. 

Six years of Spanish. 

Que means what? 

.too easy.

    Catch up. 

Moments of his life 

lost to thought. 

What has he done?

                                                                                -

    -

        - 

    Where did he go?

Breathe.

Focus on the journey. 

Let this boy with his clear clean voice take a backseat. Travel with him later.

Breathe.

You can do this.

Dragon lady - green scaly armor open back vertebrae spiking through thin skin -

-

|  STOP  |

-

Don't panic about memory. Jotting to write later. Commit. Write now.

B.r.e.a.t.h.e :

THE DrAgon whips head rOUnd to glAre at passersby. 

If looks could kill.

You have been weighed.

Painted lids narrow : 

                                                   bore in. 

You have been measured.

Little of interest.

You have been found wanting.

Fleshy white peaks that ridge her spine through peekaboo.back

undulate

as she turns away.

Her hips.swish with a hitch and a snaP of her tail as 

it flicKs through the air with the hiss and the poP of the stopPed DownTown bOUnd.

Whooshing winds flirt with skirt and skirt and skirt.  

    Summer is upon us. 

Sneak a peek at exposed cheek.

bing

bong 

whirrr

First class. 

The corner seat. 

Settle in for the last leg of this odyssey.

        .desensitized.

The people on the train go Bumpity.Bump s l i d e. 

Slippery sliding 

subway.seat. 

A woman 

-knotted.pinched.tight.pose- 

slides wh 

                  e

                                e

                                                      e e 

three seats over with 

a jolting slamming stop. 

She apologizes profusely to her bumper buddy -

but the look and the smirk 

betray her.

The arm hair of a friendly sprawling neighbor tickles gently. Comforting pressure of knee to thigh.

On the other side of experience now. 

.take stock.

Grip of old. 

Awkward hold.

The hand forgot the pen.

Stretch. Adjust. Begin :

Gender relations are hard -

...

False start. Frustration. Wriggle in my seat.

.focus.

There are stories happening to me now. 

    Distractions.

            .fodder.

--

Transparent motivations. 

Uncomfortable truths brought out in the crossfade :

            and I arrived two hours late.

Tromboning can be sexy too.

He plays J and K. 

PuffPuff.HOld - at the top of his breath he tells us the name of the song :

Exhale.sings a few bars of the familiar crooning melody.

Affected : head tipped back - with a wag : with a swag of his head.

Puff.fill.HOld.

He leans back below the window & passes left. 

Exhale blown up in the general direction of the cracked window. 

Lazy precautions.

Establish a physical connection.

Hey I like your hair clip.

Omnomnomnom.

His finger grazes shoulder as he returns clip to its place.

SparK of the lightest slightest touch :

    .you too? Please.

        .not.you.

    P'Tew. 

        .scooby.snacked.

Another bowl is packed.

Dismiss the rival.

To everything that is said :

Who gives 

a shit? 

        (turning)

    Hey, 

want to play 

another game 

of numbers?

--

(flicker in peripheral)

Return to 

.NOW.

.

.

.

.On the middle. 

.right talon. 

.of the crow. 

.across the aisle. 

rides a stetson : 

silver & bucking & proud.

Flick. 

.lick. 

Flick. 

.schlick.

Spiny flick 

    after spiny flick navigates 

her 4.87 by 2.31 universe.

She wears the keys to 

her alabaster tower round her neck. 

.chastity.

She quarter turns as she snacks on snack size fruit snacks. 

    Smack.

        Bingbong.

Alert.

Smooth - whirr - click. 

Doors gape at ghastly Penn. Moment of stale silence. Whir of the close. 

.Click.

Return.

    Compose :

She settles into her nest, perching, feet adjusting, on black board. 

Rubber grips paper.

Cat eyes pointy past ears that disappear 

with the gentle sweep 

of soft thin gold.

The boy cries - 

Wretched.         

        Foreign 

    .Far. 

(forgotten)

Across the way 

there's a retreat. 

She pushes back her board 

to base - unraveling headphones as she goes. 

.Maniac Magee. 

Get inside the knot. 

She removes phallic plugs and plugs in.

.plug lug 

big jug.

How do YOU think? 

What you THINK is valid. 

        WHO are you?

Who am I? Who am I? 

            I! 

am the guardian of lost

                                                   souls!

Coffee Coffee.

        Breathe.

Buzz Buzz Buzz.

Honey I'm Home 

        in the Net of the Daily News. 

.what's today?

Frantic scramble for 

the phone comes up empty. 

The date is lost. 

    The time is gone - 

left on the bed in the room of the friend.

Breathe.

There is little to be done.

A devil stares out from the brown paisley bandana of DOOM.

Heaving swelling breasts sag at odd angles. A tiny penis nestles in the ample bosom :

        .titty fucking.

Embarrassed.

Self conscious hand covers the page.

Eyes can peek&peer& judge.

Beneath the hand 

    the secret's safe.

Tan tan mother's hand.

Fear rises. Heat rises. 

Science.

Narrate what you think. Think on the page.

B.r.e.a.t.h.e.

The coupled fairies wuzzn't married wuzzee? 

The lone grey wolf yawns wide and checks the time.

The lanky crow perches : dozes : protects - gripping strap and strap and strap.

The keys of the standing 

big buff man jinglejangle : 

click and clack.

JingleJangle

.keys that dangle.

Belles on toes.and.Keys on loops.keeping track of 

.their pursuit.

The MODERN knighT : 

sword at the hip and ready, sheath of the carabiner, three dollar armor of the 

.thrift shop top.

Keys that stake 

.a claim in the land. 

Jingling jangling 

.proof that he owns. 

He dares to call 

.his home his own.

The spurned landed gent.

Our knights can only 

RENT.

Click clack 

        Click clack.

        .lick schlick 

lick fap.

Journey taken 

of myself

by myself 

for myself.

Hip hap happening. 

A young pilgrim boards the Rockawayflower. 

Black bowler hat sits atop 

a side.bang swoop.and.flare. 

    What's under there? 

Small coquettish smirk. Quiet calculating stare.

White lace collar against the black.

SmackSmack.

        ClickClack.

The train it rumbles down the track.

Lost in thought. 

The doors - they open.

The pilgrim brushes past. Look and see :

                                    ______    

                                168 

                                Street

                                ______

SHIT.

Barely slip through as bingbong doors close. 

Close shave. I'm saved.

Time is lost and trembling.

Swivel Backpack round 

to front. 

        Frontpack. 

                  Chestpack.

.I.Want.A. fannypackfannypackfannypack. 

Pregnant with my books. Comforting weight of 

the world. 

Compressed chest. Always fall asleep on my chest.

Used to dream of sex just to fall asleep.counting sheep. 

sexy sheep.

Baa baa black sheep 

fuck me in the night 

Yes sir,Yes sir 

Hump with all your might

        .on a roll now.

Tie me up and throw me down

Smack my ass

and rip my 

gOWn-OWn-OWn

    .cat in heat. 

.lordosis.

Take me use me and abuse me.

Leave the safe word at the door. 

Spank me bite me. 

Fuck the tight me. 

More. Whore. Sore.

Petal of the red.red rose lies there in my path.

Sputterlaugh.

I just might be a naughty girl

    .

       .

              .

Joyce Joyce  :

channeling Joyce. 

Drop the act. 

What's my voice?

TO COME BETWEEN THE SECTIONS:

.in a way 

    I feel as though 

we have to get rid 

of the past. 

That is the most timid sentence you've ever penned  

.Have some spIne.