city on the river

                                                                      it is the same thing underneath it all,                                                                    beneath the little things,a blade of grass,                                                                    a coke, the sunlight through the                                                                    windowpane,                                                                    it is the same thing                                                                    that ushers you in                                                                    to shakespeare at the                                                                    globe,                                                                    mozart at the                                                                    mehlgrube,                                                                    the same thing                                                                    under                                                                    the same                                                                    direction.                                                                    an old man                                                                    cuts an orange                                                                    on a porch,                                                                    a truck rumbles by,                                                                    a dog pisses on a tree:                                                                    the river splashes                                                                    things on the rocks,                                                                    for you,                                                                    the homeless,                                                                    gathering up what burns,                                                                    but only burning what                                                                    can't be eaten,                                                                    leaving the rest to                                                                     eternity.