In L.A.

Last time

I saw a lot

of everything

except the actual

events

which cost money

I didn’t have

We drove the empty freeways

at night

the streets empty

where the homeless

weren’t because they were

shipped out of sight

to the desert

and the famous murals

painted on new walls

erected to hide the city

the Olympic Village

was somewhere

I don’t know

We watched it on television

athletes jumping

and twisting and diving

and running and shooting

and gymnasticking

and the city

raked in millions

a little more than they spent

apparently even the Olympics

broke beyond even

from the red to the black

and after it was over

trophies speeches cheers

Samaranch said

“L.A.,

where did you hide

your famous smog?”

Everybody left

and the next day

the smog was back

This time this year

they say we’ll be ready

I fear for the Olympics

There’s talk of changing venues

breaking contracts

or cancellation

because L.A.

isn’t responsible for

or can change

the state of the world

and current events

are not just Olympian