A Trouble-Making Girl Poem by Alfred Lichtenstein

It's certainly late. I must earn something.
But they're all going right by today with smug expressions on their
faces.
They don't want to give me a single good-luck penny.
It's a miserable life.
If I come home without money
The old lady will throw me out.
There is hardly anyone on the street any more.
I am dead tired and freezing.
I was never so miserable in my life.
I move around here like a piece of meat.
Finally someone comes over:
An extremely well-dressed man--
But in this life one can't tell much
By appearances.
He's also quite older. (they have more money,
Young ones tend to cheat you.)
We are face-to-face.
I raise my clothes above the knee.
I can get away with that.
That's the big draw..
Like flies to the light
The guys are drawn to us goats...
The John is certainly standing over there.
He is staring. He winks. Now I'll go right by him...
I think: he will give me a big piece of gold.
Then I get drunk in secret on expensive liquor,
That's still the best: sometime--alone
To be drunk quietly, for myself--
Or I can buy new shoes...
I won't have to go around in mended socks--
Or... sometime I won't go out walking the streets.
And take a rest from the guys--
Or... I'm already looking forward to this...
I'm so happy--
Here comes Kitty.
And scares the man off.