The doorman at the department store
greets shoppers at the door,
hopeful, craving approval,
beaten down but coming back.
A real job.
Did he know this is where he would go?
A woman, broom in hand,
sweeps sidewalk waste to a pan,
defeated, beaten senseless
by life and dirty streets.
Woman alone.
Did she know this is where she would go?
They were children once,
teens with dreams,
and now so old, lugging wisdom,
submission in their eyes.
What happened? Did she dream
of sweeping streets?
Did she dream at all?
Did they know
this is where
they would go?
