Classic Poem

Bought at the drug store, very cheap; and later pawned.
After a while, heard on the street; seen in the park.
Familiar but not quite recognized.
Followed and taken home and slept with.
Traded or sold. Or lost.
Bought again at the corner drug store,
At the green light, at the patient's demand, at nine o'clock.
Re-read and memorized and re-wound.
Found unsuitable.
Smashed, put together, and pawned.
Heard on the street, seen in a dream, heard in the park,
seen by the light of day,
Carefully observed one night by a secret agent of the
Greek Hydraulic Mining Commission, in
Plain clothes, off duty.
The agent, in broken English, took copious notes.
Which he lost.
Strange and yet ordinary.
Sad, but true.
True; or exaggerated; or true;
As the people laugh and the sparrows fly;
As the people change and the sea stays;
As the people go;
As the lights go on and it is night, and it is serious, and it is just the same;
As some one dies and it is serious and just the same;
As a girl knows and it is small; and true;
As a butcher knows and it is true; and pointless;
As an old man knows and it is comical; and true;
As the people laugh, as the people think, as the people change,
It is serious and the same; exaggerated; or true.
Bought at the drug store on the corner
Where the wind blows and the motors go by and it as night or day.
Bought for the hero's pride.
Bought to instruct the animals in the zoo.
Bought to impress the statuary in the park.
Bought for the spirit of the nation's splendid cultural heritage.
Bought to use as a last resort.
Bought at a cut rate, at a cheap demand, at the green light, at nine o'clock.
Borrowed or bought, to look well. To ennoble. To prevent disease. To have,
Broken or sold. Or given away.