Didja, huh?

Did you know

that the~ madder

you get,

the more a remark

I saw painted

on the side of

driving into Orange County?

It too was an ugly expression

I met me in passing,

and for once

I was glad

I was moving

further

into the seared,

metallic sunset,

senses splayed

by radial tires

and American steel,

glad the way I am now

to let you

make your days

even grimmer

than the long shadows

of the smoke stacks

that fall over your

apartment building

as you listen

to radio and

watch cable TV

at the same time.

Did you ever notice

something moving

outside,

something making

noise

in the center of the afternoon,

voices in conversation

from people

who are actually

facing each other

over drinks or smokes they bummed?

Did ja, huh?