ANOTHER SATURDAY NIGHT IN LONG BEACH

ANOTHER SATURDAY NIGHT IN LONG BEACH
by Oswald James

The Cane shouts across the street
“Another Saturday night in Long Beach”
as the walk sign clicks down past 4
a toy pooch yaps down Alamitos
the real McCoys at Pine and Broadway
dance away another disaster
all the loners over by the fish market
just need a light
everybody yells to pretty much no one
just to feel themselves breathe
the beach aint what it used to be
the life guard stand is for something else now
trashcans on wheels fly down the hills
the seagulls try not to puke
the janitor conference is sensual as shit
the psych majors aren’t interested in getting personal anymore
the waves stand corrected
bummed out on a fluffy butt
I get tired of making a living
and listen from a lonely perch
in the window of a downtown hotel