Taxi Ride

I can’t sleep nights     I have to be here, there, you know     thump

It rains long hours     sometimes longer 

Sometimes more and more

Can’t you see how my body is tight?

For us to polish one single shoe together could be enough     thump

And I won’t tell the Secret Service the sun

Rose in the wrong direction every day last week

I won’t     thump     tell     thump     anyone     even you

Because it’s like clinking china with sweaty hands

The sun, tightness, darktime     thump

(Animals and streets, there is no difference

Blood, adults, children, popcorn

All the same)                                                                                                 

And I won’t     thump

Leave     thump

Levitate 

Lactate

Believe in one delighted angel only     thump

I am a sewer

I like funny with problems

When I was a boy, I cried behind the sofa     thump

I am a sewer

I can say things twice     thump

I am a manhole

I can differentiate between the barks of grey and brindle dogs

Chew the boiled eggs in my pocket

Gut the mackerel skin skies

I am     again     for rent

Do you hear me?     thump     again     thump

Do you want to? Do you want     want      wish     to move from here?

Now?     Right now?     So stick out that hand

You know     I used to sleep through nights

I ran through woodland groves

The mosquitoes left me     thump     well     thump     alone

First published in Dirt, issue 2.5, 2006