The Custodian by Joe Lofgren

The custodian looks
as if he will fall dead tomorrow,
as his methamphetic body
pushes garbage
floor to floor.

This is the frail heaving man
as he leans to the sideways stumble,
half aware gander
through the longest halls
of his life.
I wonder as he passes
those who gawk

misunderstood

if he doesn't wonder
about the mores of custodial arts,
like the fine dexterity
in waxing previously
puked on floors,
or the recognition 
in something that
never gets dirty.

Does he clean 
around thoughts of sole order
or is there some hidden, shrunken, 
wrinkled reason,
for his peaceful radiance?

Comments

[Sue Lozynskyj]

the frail heaving man...just lovely

[Joe Lofgren]

Thanks, Sue.

[Erika Hommel]

Is this old?

[Joe Lofgren]

With changes, yes.

[Kevin Jackson]

joe, very fine... there is something burning in this, cleansing if i dare invoke such a pre-post modern concept!

"thoughts of sole order" - a wonderful line, with or without the transposition to "soul"...

k

[silent lotus]

dear Joe

this is one of my favorites from your pen

much enjoyed

silent lotus

[Shari-Lyn McArthur]

Some thoughts are coalescing on the conveyable.