JOHNMICHAEL SIMON POETRY

He is large, XXL or more

performing some garden chore,

from street level I see a barrel chest

protruding nipples, hair cropped short

 

Hey mister, I call, he seems not

to hear.  Your neighbor has a leak

in his watering system, it’s spraying

all over the street, hey mister

 

He seems not to hear, hey mister

your neighbor, water pipe, burst

he begins to notice my presence

looks as if to say, are you talking to me?

 

Perhaps he’s a bit deaf.  Listen

I shout, word by word,   neighbor

water pipe,   burst,   squirting on street

tell him,   OK?   He approaches, grunts

 

Neighbor he says, what neighbor?

Look, I yell, over there, next door

water pipe burst, street full of water,

he comes to the fence, huge burly

 

My name is Gloria he says,

do you live around here, I’ve seen you

before.  I slink embarrassed down the street

ex good citizen, currently neighborhood jerk