people in the night
a half-lit golden neon cross
glows eerily in the fog
floating high over city streets;
half burning, half in darkness.
under the half-cross,
three city cop cars
with blue lights flashing
are directing bright searchlights
into the corner of a convenience store parking lot
like interrogation lights
cornering a single man
who carries all his belongings
in a bag on his back.
the horror of the scene
is lost in the beauty of refracted light sparkling in mist.
a young woman rummages
through a dumpster
in the fog of the night.
I ask her what she’s looking for.
“I’m just looking through the stuff that was thrown out here today.
Don’t worry; I’ll put it all back when I’m through.”
it’s garbage, how can you mess it up?
someone has yelled at this poor hungry child for messing up their garbage.
I ask if she’s hungry and take her a sandwich.
the dark and fog hide her.
