Liquidity by Hank Kalet

LIQUIDITY
by Hank Kalet

We see them standing
on highway's soft shoulder
in parkas, ski hats, cold rain
like tears soaking to their weary bones,
an economy in signs, the placards
that pop up at traffic lights
in all weather, these men
paid to stand out there
as advertisements,
as signposts literally
corner after corner
of closed storefronts,
a furniture store,
shoe warehouse, placards
announcing available space
in strip mall
after strip mall,
empty lots pockmarked
with potholes
slick from the drizzle,
but I'm dry thank god
or whomever
inside this humming Toyota
with Gene Pitney singing
through the speakers as we
sit in an empty
parking lot of empty
lighting store on
overcast Sunday,
drizzle of rain falling
like housing prices.