Urban Sovereign
Gaunt, in a grimy dress and Burger King crown,
she occupies the median
with timely crayon-scrawled edicts:
"Happy Spring" in April,
"Whew, it's Hot" in August,
"Boo" at Halloween.
From Lexus comfort,
drivers proffer coins through half-closed windows
that she grabs, stone-faced,
with yellow rubber kitchen gloves.
I drive on wishing she had a cape.
A cape would solve everything.
First published in Misfit Magazine