'After Wall Street'

Popshot Magazine's 11th issue, with the theme "Journeys," is out today! In it, "After Wall Street," my poem inspired by Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street," which--and now I sound like a broken record--should have won Leonardo DiCaprio his Oscar. Popshot is an illustrated literary magazine based in the UK; order a copy here. 

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Years back, we were damn proud,

and we coated the city with arrogance

like fog creeping in beneath muted sunshine

on a cold November morning.

We were young, new to everything:

the money at stake, the cars, the clothes

and how can we forget the women

who would wipe our shoes

if only to simulate the taste

of rich man's skin and perfumed sweat.

Now here we stand - drenched in the rain

that's come to cleanse the city

where young men left their garbage

piled high on desks beside rolls of cash.

Lugging our legs to pay for lawyers

and quell an angry nation's hunger

to see businessmen crucified.

This is Calvary

in the shadow of glass and spires.

No crosses and iron nails

to mark the passing of crime.

Just corpses walking the street–

young men who once made fortunes

out of gold dust and blood.