any city you enter after dark
will not reveal itself until the morn
you'll see it like a scrawny sheep unshorn
vague blankness punctuated by landmarks
you'll see nothing in the darkness of parks
not junkies sprawled out in clothes, rank and torn
though you see neon twenty-four hour porn
you'll know not the dogs by their noisy barks
light makes it more pretty and more ugly
you'll see it pick itself up and brush off
like shame walkers concoct a makeshift coif
turning focus from the bloody and stubbly
to see a city at its worst and best
catch it when it's wearing last night's dress.
