these three guys
in Raiders jackets
semicircled me.
Hey, baby,
can we help you wit’ som’thin?
I Tried to Be Cool
Tried to sound tough,
asked if they could
spare a smoke.
Sure, baby.
Anything you want.
Took a cigarette, bummed
a light, and with a soft “thanks”
tried to amble away.
Hey. Where ya going?
You ain’t in a hurry, are ya?
They weren’t big, not football
players, but I was outnumbered
and felt it.
Yeah, what kind
of thanks is that?
The circle tightened,
moving me back, away
from the safety of the street.
Damn, you are
a fine little piece.
Think. Think! But my brain
moved too fast to process well.
My eyes gave it away.
Yo. I think this bitch