(Sign on guard booth at Broadway
and Worth Street, New York City)
Photo © David Galef
Please do not disturb the guard.
He works very hard.
By no means bother the teacher.
Patience is not her best feature.
Leave the editor alone.
She’s dealing with authors whose deadlines have flown.
Let the lawyer do his job.
He’s in New Jersey, defending the mob.
Stand back from the doctor.
Consider him your body’s proctor.
Caution: financial analyst at work.
He can’t help being a jerk.
Don’t ask the clerk another question.
He’s suffering from adenoids and congestion.
“Go ahead, you can’t ever distract me enough,”
says the poet. “I just write the stuff.”