THE IMMIGRANT

The immigrant approached the empty intersection
and blithely stepped off the curb into the crosswalk
but then he saw the sign saying WAIT
and he stopped and turned around
I hollered from my bus stop bench, “What’re y’waiting for?”
He smiled as he pushed the button and waited for the WALK sign
And he smiles again forty six seconds later
at the three cars stopped for him to cross

RECENT ACCUMULATIONS AND APPROPRIATED VOICES, Kalayaan Publications, 1997