Waiting outside the theater --dink. his mother's umbrella opened accidentally into the backside of his buzz-cut head. --dink. --dink.
He blinked. He tightened.
--dink.
Waiting outside the theater --dink. his mother's umbrella opened accidentally into the backside of his buzz-cut head. --dink. --dink.
He blinked. He tightened.
--dink.
summer midnight in the city
and the bridesmaid just walked past without her shoes on.
It's a young man's game.
Never chew
gum in an
airplane bathroom.
Because if you do
your gum will taste
like an airplane bathroom.
they're chatting in front of the register lit softly by streetlight
and if you only saw the look on his face
her back to you
her hands on her hips
straight black hair sliding over
casual tilt
you'd never guess
she was an eighty-year-old widow.
espresso, green tea.
I mean, seriously.
How much more married
can you be?
Trying to cover the three of us with one umbrella.
My naked hand out for a cab full-body soaked as that car roared by
and I was wet and cold and pissed.
Then giving up counting our change to catch the crosstown bus
climbing onboard paying our fare and me
surprised to find it half-empty in the rain.
Yesterday
I really let him jump on me
let him throw himself into me
like some red-headed salmon
and me the current
his feet slapping the waves.
He was laughing, slap-laughing
and flying, slap-flying.
And then I was the sand
and he was the ocean
and he stretched me apart and he wore me down
and he sent me
streaming
out to
sea.
He talks in a low hum
with no air between the words.
He fills all the space.
He fills all the space.
Hefillsallthespace.
He’s like crickets.
He sat down sobbing
into his hands.
50 cents
and he wanted them
to give him a dollar for it.
Retarded. “I hate math.”
And I just wanted to have lunch.
Then he stood, bearded
burly Thor
retarded.
“I hate math!” again
looking back
through his beard
over one thick shoulder.
And he thundered off.