Cliche LA

Drifters unfold

Dirty yellow fingernails

Holding cans

calling for coins—

Payment for food, drink, drugs, or mugs

Topped off with alcohol,

And God bless.

Limousines slide by concrete treetops

Red carpets

Starlets

Harlots 

Kiss kiss

To the after-after party

For food, drink, drugs, and alcohol

Where celebrity and streetbum

Aren’t so different after all.

Cockroaches

cower in hotel shadows

Hollywood and Highland

Charging 500 bucks a night

For fools with money

Soon parted.

You and I walk

Wide-eyed together

Stomping on stars

We wish we were

Or thankful we’re only visitors

On a stretch of air

Where angels and demons hover

Side by side

Average Joe’s wishing