nicotine and the ways of the universe

[Timmycom]

V:2
Today I watched a homeless woman
stash her belongings in the bushes
at the park, while I sat eating chips

She asked me to watch her stuff
while she went over to the bottle-o
to buy one can of bourbon and coke
that I watched her drink
thinking how inappropriate it was
that I wanted to bum a smoke off her
when I had the money to buy my own
(ignoring the fact that I don’t smoke anymore)

We got to talking over the ducks
picking at someone’s discarded pizza
on the ground

Four hours later
and we’d discussed the universe
I bought a cigarette off her for a $1
(‘cause even the poor have pride)
and made the $3.35 in her pocket
$4.35 – enough to buy her dinner
with a cigarette for me, to break the month
since the last time I gave in
to temptation

---

V:1
Today I watched a homeless woman
stash her belongings in the bushes at the park
while I sat eating chips

She asked me to watch her stuff
while she went over to the bottle-o
to buy one can of bourbon and coke
that I’m now watching her drink
and thinking how inappropriate it is
that I want to bum a smoke off her
when I have the money to buy my own
(ignoring the fact that I don’t smoke anymore)

We got talking over the ducks
picking at someone’s discarded pizza
on the ground

Four hours later
and we’d discussed the universe
I bought a cigarette off her for a $1
(‘cause even the poor have pride)
and made the $3.35 in her pocket
$4.35 – enough to buy her dinner
and a cigarette for me to break the month
since the last time I gave in to the lure
of nicotine

This is the kind of poetry I LOVE. Understated and clever in such a way that it's relatable and yet moral. Exposing as well in that says something about modern life as well as the subjects too. Life is hard, and yet sometimes that's what makes it beautiful...

Love the rhyme of pide and five. I thought that was really neat.