Riding the RER

Watching the graffiti scream

From ghetto buildings

As I enter Paris

A deaf mute running

A hustle

Gets no sympathy from

The passengers

Watching blacks speak French

And wondering can color link

Us into kinship?

Eating a baguette at gare de lyon

As beggars wear their hunger

On their faces

Smoking gauloises and drinking

Café au laits

At porte de bagnolet

Watching a black and white couple

On the metro kissing shamelessly

Heading to the Eiffel Tower

To be dwarfed by its phallic

Shadow

Wondering will I always be

Alone?

Erren Geraud Kelly’s work has appeared in over 80 publications in print and online in various periodicals such as Hiram Poetry Journal, Poetry Magazine ( Online ) Riprap Journal, Convergence, Free Expression, Ray’s Road Review, The Write Place At the Right Time, Vox Poetica, and other places.  Mr. Kelly is the author of the chapboook, “Disturbing The Peace,” on Night Ballet Press.   Mr. Kelly lives in Chicago.