from
HAT POEMS
by
Allen Cohen
Illustration ã2000
Ann Bunt
A man wearing old, brown
leather jacket, pants
slipping down
his legs,
teeth missing from his mouth,
one of the mad wraiths
who haunt North Beach
asks me for a Zorro hat.
I give him black,
flat crown,
wide brim Flamenco dancer hat.
He smiles toothlessly and says,
"That's it!" He tries it
on,
tilts it and looks into the mirror.
"You think I can do it, man.
You think I can be
Zorro.”
"You
can be whoever you want," I answer.
"Zorro's my hero, man
like Jesus is yours."
"No,
I am my own hero," I say.
"I got to get the rest of it --
black on black and
some steel."
He
pretends to whip out a sword.
"You think I can do it, man?
Am I Zorro?"
"Go
for it, if you want."
"Will you hold it for me, man.
I'll be back before
Halloween.
I'll be
back."
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