Canteen of Water

By J. Bolotin

HE CARRIES HIS IDS

AND HIS BOOKS BOUND IN LEATHER

AND A CHANGE OF CLOTHING

AND A PICTURE OF ANNA WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER

LEST HE FORGET HER

AND IN AMONG HIS PAPERS

IS A LIST OF ALL THE PEOPLE HE KNEW

AND MANY SENT LETTERS

TELLING SOMEONE THAT HE'D BE THERE

SOMETIME SOON

HEY STRANGER! AREN'T YOU THE TIREDNESS THAT REMAINS

WHEN YOU THINK FREEDOM CANT BE MEASURED

BY THE SCUFFLES ON YOUR BOOTS?

HEY HEY HEY

NOW HE DREAMS OF ANNA A LIFE IN THE TIME THEY WERE TOGETHER

HE WAS HARD AND SHE WAS SUPPLE

WHERE THEY LIVED OUT IN THE COUNTRY

SHE THOUGHT GENTLE

LIKE HIS HANDS UPON HER BODY

AND WHEN ANNA FELT THE COOLING WIND

DAVID FELT THE NEED TO BE BLOWN DOWN

AND WHEN ANNA FELT THE CLEANSING RAIN

DAVID FOUGHT THE FEAR THAT HE MIGHT DROWN

HEY STRANGER! AND NOW YOU WONDER THROUGH THE COUNTRY

THAT YOU HOPE IS MUCH LESS FRIGHTENING

WHEN ITS QUICKER PASSING BY

HEY HEY HEY

NOW IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA

AT THE LAST CHANCE DINER COUNTER

BEING QUESTIONED BY THE WAITRESS

HE PREPARES FOR THE DESERT

WITH HIS FREEDOM

AND A CANTEEN OF WATER