The mural

I walked by it every day. we were friends. then capitalism took her away. She was part of my daily life and I had watch her slowly fade away. I'm too small to stop an entire chain hotel. I have a voice but it's not heard in those rooms.

You can still come see me, she says. Yes, I say, but we both know I wont do that often. Our love is convenient.

I visited you last night. It made me happy to see you. But you are now boxed in. I can't get home easily. So if I come to see you, it's just to see you. It doesn't add just a few more minutes to my walk home; it adds an entire stop and a u turn. I hate that I have to decide how much I love you.