i paid twenty bucks to go to the zoo

should have been working but i was close and said to hell with the job for the day

they wouldn’t notice and i deserve the break

monotonous swill anyway

push a couple buttons move on to the next

and the zoo is relaxing

especially in the summertime

sun beating down

ladies in sundresses pushing strollers

families speaking foreign language that sounds like hacking phlegm

it is a good place to sit and stare off into space

for twenty bucks i got to the edge of the bridge and watched the flamingos

smelly birds

they get their color from the food they eat

the old ones are white and starving

they stand there, perched on one leg, heads curled under their wings, like they own the damnded place

it must be nice being a flamingo

no worries

someone dumps your food, the water is warm, people taking your picture all day

but they don’t get to leave

sit at a bar and flirt with the bartender

go home horny and alone

a monkey swings from a branch

he is watching the people watching him

hard to tell who is the bigger attraction

he just swings with one arm

the other scratching at his balls as people giggle and point

sure he could probably scratch his nuts elsewhere, but why should he, it is like he is doing it for the attention

i envy the little prick

no worries

he doesn’t have the anxiety of a days work

no deadlines

no boss breathing down his neck

his art is hanging there while tugging his junk

sometimes i think that is what my writing is

just masturbatory nothingness that people cruise by and read while i scratch myself

he has never stood on a street corner with his arms around a beautiful girl

fully erect against his pants while people motor by and cast judging glances

he just does his own thing

i respect that

i slowly make my way through

watching the people as much as the animals

the line between blurring

my favorite animal is the big anteater

goofy looking thing, lumbering about in his pen

reminds me of me

he just stares at me

we lock eyes

i bet he is envious of me

no worries

just sitting on a bench watching him watch me

i don’t have to perform for the crowds

have strangers feed me

have forgotten my instinctual yearnings

i’ve never had to stick my tongue into an anthill, try and slurp as many of the wriggling things down my throat as possible

buddy

if you knew where this tongue has been you would hop the fence and go out for the night with me

find yourself a job

a nice lady aardvark to be waiting for you at home

have a litter or two

get readers from the drugstore because the print doesn’t come into focus as quickly as it used to

the popping sounds like fireworks when you stand up

working out sore muscles in an attempt to try and look good

it is all worries out here pal

he nods and i nod back

he has to look busy and i need to go home and wash my clothes

these boxers aren’t self cleaning

i slowly wind my way out and through the parking lot

the smiling faces all around me

knees hurt from the concrete

head hurts from the dismal reality pressing into my temples

i turn the music up

too loud probably

and sing along to the ramones as i make my solitary trip home to the waiting piles of clothes

jacky is a punk, judy is a runt, they both went berlin, joined the ice capades

i think i am starting to understand why

they couldn’t make it at the zoo