Lady

from the window
facing the street
dark shadows moved and turned
a small light flickered and died
the lonely streetlight glared
out at the sidewalk
old Hotel street
living still
gracious lady
hiding behind her wrinkles behind powder make up and rouge
smiling with gold capped teeth
skin flicks and tattoo parlors
lei stands and manapua counters
herbs for the body
lizards and roots dried black and green for tea
taxi stands with drivers dozing in the shade
expired meter at the municipal parking lot
samurai adventures in series
office workers and secretaries
quickly passing looking at their watches
all the while the pool hall does a brisk business
and the bus drones by with faces looking out
at a girl on a bicycle holding up traffic

sailors off the ship on shore leave
tourists in matching aloha print
with plastic plumeria leis
all stop at the light that flashes
green
orange
then red

sounds of Honolulu past
still with us
scenes from the window
facing the street
from where I live
sitting with my eyes closed