the myth of community

So I stepped off the stoop into

culture, expecting something

there to give and receive and

weave with the weft

and left to my own origins,

the crass concepts where I reside, 

the soil I inhaled, hush, but

such was not the case

and skin and gender and

class met me at the end of the street, 

threatened my life, sent

complaints to my third employer,

whispered in jubilant webby groups,

then erased the traces, and eased

to my side to console me.

*    *     *