shredding day

kilogram in Paris
losing weight


neutrino in Geneva
exceeds speed of light


galaxies twist, dance,
and collide on Youtube


but on Baltimore Avenue
Choy Wong is still here


Chinese and American 
Fried chicken and sandwich


outside the Credit Union
it's shredding day again


every quarter the white truck
from Secured Document Destruction
shows up -- long lines of
poor people bring old bills,
financial receipts, tax returns


I stand in line with my bag
carefully prepared by my wife
papers too sensitive to recycle


Choy Wong on the corner
been here as long as I have
or longer -- quarter century


across the street the Firehouse
been here since horses
dashed through the streets
pulling fire wagons


it's been a farmer's market
now a brewhouse and pizza place
acupuncture upstairs
bicycle shop, Satellite cafe


time and space, waves and particles
just don't move that fast here


energy and mass don't bounce around
like rubber balls in relativity chamber


the avenue flows like a muddy river
not in any particular hurry