Hard Cash For Hash

this could be new Istanbul

with all the fallen angels

scanning the floors

for loose change 

furiously grinding dust

underfoot

in the hope they can 

fashion diamonds,

diamonds they’d sell

for pearls, I reach into

my pocket for a vial of oil,

natural fossil fuels

hold a higher value 

than local currency,

the street kids

come at me with 

eloquent sales pitches

as to why they need 

hard cash for hash,

I told them - 

“I don’t finance mules” 

especially 

the two-legged type