Blagovesta Momchedjikova
 
 

Blackout
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The streetlights stare  at me  blank. walk/  don’t walk i wish  to see to cross the street but  see gaping hollow boxes instead it is  getting darker neighbors run out, slippers on, to buy candles from the deli downstairs -- itself a shrine to some mysterious god -- candles  lighting up products,  including  a hand written  note by the  avocado stand: please, don’t squeeze  produce, ask employees  for help but employees  are all gathered  outside, worried: the fridges are melting! the food  is spoiling! how much longer? bring  generators! as I hurry  towards 15th street, where, neighbors say, the north side is all light,  the south --  all dark ‘cause the  outage hit below 15th,  it is  not streetlights that  guide  me but bright human eyes.

  (c)Blagovesta Momchedjikova 2003