Helpless

by Bill Garvey

Photo by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash

Neil Young’s voice, but not really, 
wafts over the rushing ruckus at 
Bloor-Yonge Station, all of us 
marching like ants underground
to wherever we need to go, but, 
as usual, some delay keeps the 
doors open and the busker’s voice 
floats through the stalled train 
accompanied by the tinny riffs 
from his old guitar. We peer 
from our hoods and hats toward 
the platform as if…but it can’t be, 
and we know that it can’t be, 
but if we close our eyes we may 
see him mournfully crooning. 
We all righteously feel a bit 
helpless clinging as we do to 
those loops, our gloved fingers 
hanging on before the subway 
heaves us, weary of losing our 
footing, feeling foolish for stomping 
someone’s toes who’s already had 
the worst day ever, but tonight, 
instead of a scowl, a smile 
curls on the face of a stranger.

---

Bill Garvey's collection of poetry, The basement on Biella, was published in 2023 by DarkWinter Press. His poems have been in Rattle, One Art, San Antonio Review, Connecticut River Review, Cimarron Review, The New Quarterly and others. Bill is a dual citizen of Canada and the USA. He lives in Nova Scotia and Toronto with his wife, Jean.

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