Litany for the 27 Bryant

Litany for the 27 Bryant

riding this bus

like crawling on hands and knees

shooting star sidewalk murals

backlighting tents

crawling on hands and knees

from the hospital

to the hospital

this bus is crawling

on hands and knees

not a quick way

to get home

crawling in the tenderloin

kneeling at the curb

for a long time

a slog through traffic

alongside the traffickers

who are also

crawling on

hands and knees

shooting up with no justice

kneeling before no justice

holding no justice in their hands

this crawl

past bail bonds street signs

from bus shelter to bus shelter

from no shelter

to no shelter

crawl first

we can glide later