Clark Street

Winston Ashley

Clark street, clark street where are you going?
I am lost now in the river in its way and in its flowing.
We are going bent under dark and the vagueness of beer -

here, no there, not there, no here
where whither here are we, O clark street, whither going?

Here clark street they have left open the window
and a hand lies light on the soot sill.
We are going, and between wheels it is a kind of stillness
of patience of dim profligacy -
but they have left open one window.

Clark, clark, clark, have we forgotten
going all night with the way of the dark -
flowing oh going
O clark, not forgetting
the light at the corner with the broken globe.