no one listened

She got on the bus at 43rd, still yelling
She quieted a moment to slip her change
Into the slot, her ticket good for two hours
Three hours before she sat in custody
Or so she began to relate
In the back of the bus
No one listened

I told them muthafuckas
It wuddunt me, you know
They say hail no
My sister and her babies cryin
Dey ax me you go to jail, Heddie?
I say Hail no, sheet
Day ain’t nuthin’ on me dey say
Dere is, I just shut myfuckin mouth you know?

No one saw the man nearby
His spiral notebook full of notes
Uncomfortable listening to Heddie
His right leg swollen, infected
His cane a broom stick without the broom
His face straining with pain
As he gets up to allow the woman
In a wheelchair to park.

Let me off here
Right dafuck here
The driver bellowed, I can’t
16th street, not here
Goddamn 16th street where’s dat?
Up 16th, the bus strains
Right turn onto Baltimore
And there, she departs, thanking
The driver
And everyone
But no one listened