FOREVER-KID

I was born under the smell of garlic

with the old Italians on the block

singing their middle class arias

into satisfied pots of tomato sauce

I am the ETERNAL-SUBURBAN-SUNSHINE-KID

taking a bus out to the trailer park

to plug in a lamp for a lonely widow

I have always had my hands in my pockets

and have kept a smaller world warm in turn

I have always heard the clinking of chump change

in the spaces where the thinking used to be

THE LSD-KID who ruined himself with punk

and stole his own sunshine

embracing all the little holy nothings

of every afternoon

I have never envied the greasy coins falling from their eyes

I’ve stooped but my head is on straight

I have always been the one in the fountain

Stealing unborn wishes

And I am THE FOREVER-KID with the lemonade stand

At the end of the cul-de-sac

Faith tapping its foot on concrete

Waiting to quench the music of thirst