Gold Coast Sleeplessness

The partying people on the streets
below my window last night
and this morning were rude beyond belief
and I wonder about the arrogance of privilege
youth and insensitivity
to the alternate reality of those who
don't want to drink and scream 'til 4 a.m.
and who are insulted and assaulted in their feeble
efforts to sleep
perchance to have a satisfactory
dream of erasing these folks
with the swipe of a palm
on the restless forehead.

Chicago, March 2000