Desire Bench

Johnny Rotten Shoes and me,

the best Metro planners there be.

We came across a discarded futon frame,

And left it at the #48.

Reframe your city

Reclaim your infrastructure:

The apartment building walk-up railings look like symphony harps.

Pedestrian signs don’t need words, just keyboard flats and sharps.

In her book, NYC’s DOT director explained desire lines like this:

“The spontaneous way people use public spaces, often contradicting the way the space was

designed. These signatures are usually direct, practical, and leave physical evidence behind.”

If you’re waiting for the #48,

but you don’t want to stand,

our futon frame is still there

for your weight—

and per public demand.

—October, 2017

Published by Not a Press, November, 2021 and also in my collection, Shops Close Too Early (Cathexis Northwest Press, 2022).