All a Man Could Want(but Nothing He Needs)

[couchgrouch]

All a Man Could Want(and Nothing He Needs)Sgt. Craig and that rookie, get back in their prowler carcheck with dispatch and then, hit the boulevardfree bearclaws n coffees, from that Mom n Pop cafewon't shine up the Timex, Sarge gets on his last daybut his last shift on the force, he'll show that kid aroundcorners of the city's conscience, and its uptown undergroundhe sips his coffee and says, "there's one thing about the streetsthey sell all a man could want, and nothing he needs"Sarge drove the neon district, on his last patrolcos like skeeters to bug-lights, neon draws drifting soulshe said "some feel life's blessing, is the damndest thingthey don't know why they're here, or what love even meansso they buy any pleasure, and take ev'ry dareat least when they're in Hades, they'll know why they're therebut you and I young feller, we pound a diff'rent beatwatching all a man could want, and nothing he needscos some go past free coffee, to swanky bribes n swagworshipping the anti-Chrysler, behind the wheels of Jagsbut me, my only vice is...loving me some Maker's Markthough the doc says I can't drink, on account of my heartwell, that's all I can tell you, soon you'll be where I amcos when it comes to going, time don't sit on its handsand the soil of a doubtful spirit, welcomes wayward seedsthey sprout all a man could want, and nothing he needs"well, the rookie thanked ol' Sarge, shook his hand and went homechanged duds and drove back, to those dark lights alonebut Sarge drove his block three times, tryin' to park his Dodgeall the while parking his dreams, in a two-car miragehe thought of retirement, and how he'd miss his jobgrabbed a dusty old bottle, poured himself a shotcos with no sense of purpose, fate is just slow defeatwhen time's all a man could want, and nothing he needs(c)2007 Robert George