Philadelphia

I watched a story this morning on television
About a man in Philadelphia,
The City of Brotherly Love,
Where people are called to brotherhood
But, instead, boo Santa Claus.

But today, I watched a man
Attend to his son on a subway train
Carefully directing him with fatherly care
To a seat for their journey
Beside a welcoming neighbor,
Then, reaching into his school bag,
Pulled out a claw-hammer
And began wailing on a sleeping passenger.

There was no rhyme or reason;
There was no connection
To present an underlying plot
To the story:
Just two passengers on a train.

Leaving the scene, he sent his son back
Inside the subway car for the bag.

Nobody seemed to care
In this Quaker city.

Someone did steal his cellphone,
So all got to take a part.