"Accident," "Fear," and "Luck"

Accident

If only it had not rained
the sky black and wet as
we hurried across streets.
 
Perhaps had he worn a
light coat it would have
been easier to spot.
 
Maybe if the cab driver
were not so tired, if
headlights shone brighter.
 
How many hundreds of things
lead him to that corner.
For instance staying late
to check computer printouts.
 
The cab driver had felt like
going home at six but had
a recent rent increase.
 
Everything led to the cab
slipping along 3rd Avenue.
Him in front of his office
and then lunging out to
avoid a puddle.
 
There was no one to blame
nothing to blame really
not the rain
or the dark coat
not the dim lights
nor the cab driver
who would remember this always
and sometimes blame himself.
 
It was part of a series
of events of time and place
leading to this conclusion.
 
An ambulance screamed
down the avenue. His eyes
wide open as he lay
facing the black night.
 
His time finished
eyes opened as if
staring at something
quite different now.

Fear

Sneaks under shadows lurking
in corners ready to rear its head
folded in neat lab reports charting
white blood cells over edge running wild.
 
Or hiding along icy roads when
day ends with sea gulls squalling
through steel grey skies.
 
Brake belts wheeze and whine
snapping apart careening us
against the long cold night.
 
Official white envelopes stuffed with
subpoenas wait at the mailbox.
Memories of hot words burning
razor blades slash across our faces.
 
Fires leap from rooms where twisted
wires dance like miniature skeletons.
We stand apart inhaling this mean
air choking on our own breath.

Luck

Wearing designer clothes
and sleek jewelry,
she traipses along willy nilly
throwing golden kismet
wherever whimsy calls.
 
Some think luck chooses their
goodness or hard work. Perhaps
they were blessed at birth?
 
The wise know luck wears a
visor tripping over herself
favoring both mean and lazy.
 
Luck has a toxic twin called
Misfortune covered with
gloom. Dressed in dusty
rags, stupor-like he selects
unsuspecting victims.
 
Stomping helter skelter
clutching the throats of
both meek and mighty.
 
Everybody who gets in his way
will be pushed down, their
muffled cries barely heard.