i'm walking here

as we

pull our luggage away

from

Moynihan Station

we take

a turn

down a dark street

towards

our hotel.

suddenly a man leaps

off the porch

of a shelter

halfway house

and screams as loud

as he can

into my ear.

his hands cupped

like a megaphone.

i'm startled

and twist around to

see who or what kind

of animal

it might be screaming

his lungs out

at me.

i keep walking,

what is there to do?

i keep pulling my tourist

luggage

to the room up

the street.

i know, as i walk away

that one

day i'll write

about this and try to give

it meaning,

which never comes.

but

sometimes at night i wake

up

and see the creature,

the evil in his eyes,

the animal

instinct of his lost soul,

i feel his hot

breath

against my ear

and try to get back to sleep.