everybody knows

i see him

coming up the street, so i quickly

cross over

and dip my head

down so that i'm unseen.

but he does.

he yells out my name

and comes over to greet me.

he wants to talk

politics,

race and religion,

immigration,

the homeless.

money and disease.

he wants me to believe

what he believes.

he puts his soap

box on the ground

and hops aboard.

i can't get away from him

fast enough.

he asks me who i'm voting

for, i smile and say

nothing.

just we'll see. we'll see.