if we had stayed longer
perhaps bells
rain cars footsteps sobs
so we were constantly
not going anywhere
she had a book
her denim legs stretched along the side seat
in front of us
a large black man in police blue
approached and tapped the soles of her penny loafers
with a stick
stopped reading
and looked up to inquire
deferred to his plaisir
sans plaisir
he passed on to the next car
so she put her feet
where they had been
and went on reading
the large blue man in police black
making a return trip
rapped his stick against her soles
completely failing to observe the absence
of sofa or couch
which was not in my house
HYLAND