Brian Baldi

The Ombudsman

Without a doubt he is coming
around the corner when he comes,
an orange of assertions
going on about his liver,
coming from coming from shrubbery.

It is conceivable he has failed at some things
made false appeals to cars and character
actor mistakes. I’ve known him for sidewalk
feet at a time, and seen his slow
roll-up on the shorties.

He is much-discussing.
He is prior made and kept from parties.
He is woken in a stir.
He is between the numbers.
He is going to lose touch of me.

And during those pink pivotals
with cars rearranging themselves
into strips of coming on strong,
when he’s in the hot middle
sussing out the daily angina,

I hear him licking at distinctions.


                                            —For the O.C.