Convicted Of Fear Poem by Charles Chaim Wax

When I exited the train station
at Sheepshead Bay
in Brooklyn
I spotted
my favorite crazy person
talking to himself
so I shifted closer
to hear what he said.
“I wanna see
what’s on both sides
of the street, ” he said
in his nasal twang
then marched
like a soldier
forging ahead
in battle
across the street
looked around
and returned
only to repeat, “I wanna see
what’s on both sides
of the street.”
so again
the triumphant
stride across asphalt
to concrete
then
the intense search
at last
returning to his starting point
eight times repeated
when I cried out
“BRAVO”
yearning
for his peace
in craziness
where I had tried
often to dwell
but could not
hugging
a bit of sanity
fearful
of what
letting go
might bring.