Columbus

Columbus was wrong,
there is an edge of the world.
I have been there, hanging over the edge,
anchored only by a climber's ice ax called hope.

You can see the others, too.
all us misfits, over the top and over the edge.
Young people who feel too much or too little,
Old people, out of sync, etching the lines in their faces
one drink at a time,

Vietnam vets and old peace protesters,
People who have smoked their brains
or fried their brains, or had no brains to begin with...
Just hanging on the best we can.

And, "polite" society has no use for us
but I can tell you this:
There is no one else I would trust to watch my back,
to be there for me
to be a friend