Angel on Subway Trilogy

Part #1

the day explodes in my ears…
it astounds me every time
how, after all these years, that little speaker
can still ignite each one.
pillow over the head
blanket mummification
each vain attempts to soften the blow
finally giving up
getting up
Monday.

shower
shave
look for clothes to wear
forgetting the four failed attempts to get to the laundry
yesterday.
remembering the dry cleaning is @ the office,
I find a clean enough tee shirt
& pair of socks
mix matched of course
good enough though for this
Monday.

dressed,
w/ eyes almost open
& key cards clipped
I step into the day;
making it real.
walking through the rail road tracks,
slipping on the ice
falling into footprints of summers gone
fossilized for winter’s short eternity
revealed for a moment by a minor thaw.
the 7:37 flies by
delivering the daily commuters from the ‘burbs
as I watch visions of romance & intrigue float along the tracks
in mind.
crawling through the fence
I refuse a free newspaper & head underground
Monday.

the hustle & bustle of it all
Fuck,
it’s like everyone thinks they’re going to be late
I wonder if any of them ever are?
the day begins to drag on & it hasn’t even started.
on automatic,
@ the top of the stairs I see my connection,
“And They’re Off”.
refusing to run for a train,
I get a seat anyway.
camouflaged by the bodies of strangers
reading Dorian Grey
Monday.

the train pauses for at least a page
the doors finally close
& we are all yanked northbound.
I look up,
for no reason
& from out of nowhere
a smile & a wave
from a stranger,
& Monday
doesn’t look so bad.

-February 2001

*****************
Part #2

going home on the train
reading a short a story about a guy abandoned by everyone.
enjoying it
stop & go
the train chugs on,
always getting closer to home.
it stops again
& w/ out noticing, you sit next to me
the angel of the morning train
& conversation begins
the one always started
but never finished
taken to the end of the line tonight
by two people who have many times ever only met.
how nice it is,
telling you about what I wanted to give to you
reading you my written thanks
for the smile and wave
on the subway.
reading ‘cause you admitted you wouldn’t be able to
but still wanted to know
telling me you will be going to UofO
for a MSW.
glad I got to talk to you
‘cause after all I thought you were already gone

-June 2001

*****************

Part #3

last night we met again
for the first time
by chance as always.
if I’d stayed for another pitcher
another smoke,
another second,
I would have missed you
& never known.
this morning I found it,
just before I left,
the parchment w/ poem I carried for months
to give to you, in thanks
for the smile & the wave.

get on the train as usual
@ the back ‘cause there wasn’t time to make it to the front
walking up the stairs @ Yonge & Bloor
hearing my connection
not even considering running to catch it.
getting there just in time
for the doors to close.
& we meet again
by chance as always
this time, there is only enough time
to wave & smile
as the train pulls away
for a second I think,
“maybe I should have run this time?”
but feeling fine all the same,
because,
just like the first time
from out of nowhere
a smile & a wave
from a friendly stranger,
made my day

-June 2001