Bus Stop in Front of the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer

It’s the usual ruin—
shelter of scratched plastic,

torn schedule behind smashed glass.
The cement’s stained where someone

dragged themselves after a drive-by.
In the empty lot beyond, one

shoe’s been set upright in the weeds,
encircled with shards

of busted bottles that catch
the late light. You wait

while cars and lives pass,
wanting to believe there is a bus,

that you can hear it coming
from a long way off.

*

Kim Addonizio has published over a dozen books of poetry and prose. Her most recent poetry collection is Exit Opera (W.W. Norton). Bukowski in a Sundress: Confessions from a Writing Life was published by Penguin. Her poetry has been widely translated and anthologized. Tell Me was a National Book Award Finalist. She teaches Zoom poetry workshops in Oakland, CA. https://www.kimaddonizio.com