visiting the chelsea hotel

we walk along the hudson river climb
onto the highline where monarchs swarm
purple verbenas and dry grass
cross block on block heart in mouth
walk don’t walk yellow taxi traffic horns
count down the numbers on west 25
spot the red brick high rise one time
‘world’s tallest building’

ventilator shaft intubates basement window
the building pegged by scaffolding breathes
like an asthmatic old man
tarnished plaques eulogise counter culture heroes
burroughs thomas cohen warhol

we search for traces of patti and janis
find only these damp bones
silt of cockroach wings stink of hooch
then glimpse awkwardly from fenced off steps
in corridors soaked with yellow light
pale shapes on walls where art once hung