I was heading for the factory
when I saw a tall woman
standing on the corner —
a momentary lapse
sent me jack-knifing
over the curb in a trance
when something flashed
before my eyes —
DIE FOR CHRIST SAKES —
I recognized the name!

I swerved back on the road
heading back to the factory
but there she was again
hailing a cab with
her arms full of groceries.

It was a beautiful day for a drive
and we got on quite famously
until she said sorry
and jumped out the door —
still moving I piled
into a storefront window
and walked away thinking
how great life was —
how wild and exciting
it could be.

I could shoot out all the lights
in all the cities of the world
Moscow Istanbul Berlin Chicago
popping them one by one
until it was darkly quiet
and I could smoke a cigarette in peace
forget about driving to the factory
sleep on soft clouds over the Orient
write glorious poems fascinated with life
drinking deep and long
falling in love
with a tall woman
standing on the corner.