Panhandler’s Song
By Krikor N. Der Hohannesian
Her mantra — “spare a little
change?” “have a nice day!” — a gift of music
to the song-less bustle of commuters’
daily outpouring at the railhead.
A two-bar ditty laced with calypsonian
optimism, percussed by the tambourine jingle
of her change cup, hopeful syncopation
given lie by mirthless eyes cast down
at scarred pavement, and then
the predictable coda sans conviction —
rush hour’s desultory staccato
rhythms flattened out by the drone
of her cadenced intermezzo voiced
with metronomic precision.
Copyright © 2020 by Krikor N. Der Hohannesian.