1277

white white and chicken teriyaki
then white wine in a coffee cup
then laps around the neighborhood
cup snug in my hand

then
late night screwdriver to find
truth - I guess it never really
went away
that desire
bending the lights at night
turning the heavens into a
throbbing nothing
heavy and sick
just like the dog with
his ear mites
well that’s how we preferred it:
the loss of memory
the smell of sweat under the collar
the dizziness of stupidity

but the next day
I drank another protein shake
noticed the gap in my pants
and the easiness in my step
running the dog
and I thought
well this is a better way
isn’t it
isn’t it
you blue eyed
bastard

I thought we’d always figure it out
but the dog
pulling at his ear
said nothing
just sat there in witness
to a man without a hyphen
full of water weight
he hoped to sweat out the next day