always starts somewhere
I needed a hat, he said
it started there I guess
in the whirlpool
eight hours that went by in four
how’d we split the time in half like that
just down the middle
one side whole, one side nothing
and then we were on a roof
windy chills, chill chill chill
a kind of welcome that sends shivers
and we made of it what we could
and were allotted our lump of meat
then the whirlpool spit us at a dollar wall
where we marveled at expectations
then sucked up again and somehow
so suddenly
at a show, a real show, where actors act
and performers perform
and the play plays on
and we hugged and smiled
and said great show
then dark
then light again
then another race
out the door
up the stairs
wrong place
right place
how do you take your coffee?
down the stairs
find the talking room
law talk, legal-ease
fire it up, tweet it out
call your senator
then blush on lips
like a bee sting
and sit this way, no that
chin up, tilt a little
stand up, cross your legs
bend your knee
yes look at that
yes look at that
yes look at that
zip on back
talk to one oh hello
talk to another oh hello
oh hello oh hello
mosquito bites swell like egos
and nature’s screen door
not stopping
and not stopping the talking
and talk about yourself a while
remind yourself a job is due
it’s your duty to sew them up
and sweat pouring
under surgical lights
in a place they say won’t stand
in a place they say has stood
like the sad, kind look of a stranger
whose lines have crossed
a marbled piece of stone
thank you, we said
we meant it
to start at the end
I guess makes sense
I needed a hat, he said
I didn’t buy it
