Time

A stranger in the street
and remembering another...
I stole his lips
when a light was offered.
He asked me about the parade.
I had a flag. It was natural
that he should ask.
Minutes later, while walking alone
I almost caught the flag on fire.
I almost caught
the paper on fire,
trying to write
and smoke and wave the flag
at the same
Time
to notice a statue
of Hanukah in a window,
wet mats on the sidewalk
outside a bar
I thought about stealing
and stupid ivy growing
over a wall.
Just growing.
Stupid.
Because of that.