dime a dozen

light dims outside the window
as the sun sinks below the horizon
he watches solemnly from his city apartment
where fake women are a dime a dozen

he sees a girl down on the sidewalk
watches as the shadow turns the corner
he jumps up and bolts down two flights of stairs
only knowing he's got to catch her

he races down the sidewalk and turns the corner
only to find she's gone
just a few bums and a hooker
pretty girl, but just another fake one

'hey baby, looking for a good time?'
'no thanks, you're not my type'

takes another look around
disappointed he doesn't see her
walks back to his apartment
only knowing he didn't dream her

as the sky darkens to midnight
he walks out on the fire escape
looks up to gaze at the one star he can see from the city
looks down to see her face

races out of the apartment again
sure that this time he'll catch her
he sees her turn that corner again
only knowing he's got to run faster

he turns the corner and there she stands
with all the starlight in her eyes
her hair shines like fire in the streelights
she leans gently on the brick wall, cloaked in all the night

she smiles and says, 'looking for a good time?'
he shakes his head.  'maybe some other time'
so he knows that nothing's as it seems
and maybe she was just a dream

dakota

august 2nd, 1998