lost

between daytona flea market
and palm beach high-rises
are a couple of million refugees
of the great downward spiral
     creaking along
on loaded up beach bikes
carrying all that's left
     gone is the mystique of the artisans
     or the proud hands of the industrial working class
partitioned
beyond the sponsored walls
     daytona 500 incorporated
left behind
     like a two buck bet
          at the dog track

--- e b bortz

(published in opednews.com, Feb 10, 2013)
(published in earth notes and other poems, Least Bittern Books, 2015)