beatniks

the beatniks are coming to town

you can see it in their eyes

old souls, and wise

sorrowful deep soulful eyes

don’t look much like beatniks though

more like angels

or Taoist immortals

balding, with those straggly beards

don’t wear those berets anymore

don’t dress in black

these aren’t the young hipsters

but the ancient survivors

gentle, been through the wars

flips, epiphanies and highs

they’re down

on the ground

but they swing

oh yeah they swing

like the old crows

on the wing

--Ross Bender