A Barber Writes

It's a rainy day Nobody peeps yet? I sweep the floor Last night's gathering All sort of hair. And it's very hard to segregrate This's King's and that's Pauper's Some were straight and some kinky, Anyway I took the shovel and collected All into the same bin. And a customer comes in, Offered me a big note For a Crew cut! I said sorry as I do not have change. And he promised to return the money Some other day but he never returned. And quite sometimes I came to know That he's a rebellious blacklisted Lawyer From a quiet village. And he's killed by an unknown On his way home at midnight! Still I could sniff that odor Some kind of spirit in the soul! *Death will come on padded feet Carrying Roses in its mouth. -Charles Bukowski