Because women are women and men are men
the sky looms like a heron being watched
by old newspapers and filthy bus shelters.

Because toupees, varicose veins, insects, rotten vegetables,
lottery tickets, bad breath, no breath, hearing loss
and the loss of all things good run the streets
like fugitive prayers there will be no revolution.

Nothing ever changes.
Because everything changes all the time
nothing ever changes.

Because women are women and men are men
pigeons strut around like they own the joint,
bricks are broken, pockets turned out, toss
and turn, heal and burn...

walk through hell for nothing,
buy a newspaper for nothing,
hold an ax, a flower, a baby for nothing,
work for nothing,
eat, piss, shit for nothing,
watch yourself grow older for nothing...

Because women are women and men are men
and everything is nothing and nothing is everything

the sky flies
away with a fish
in its beak.