you are curled into a shell of a back hallway
into the syncopated off-beat
into the dark when I close my eyes when I cannot bear to watch this anymore
I have seen it
I have seen this movie and the hero dies at the end and the girl cries
the funeral is too loud in the grave by the highway where the cars can’t stop
won’t stop

and I am bleeding out in between your fingertips
I am pouring out between the ridges of the carpet and even in all of my pieces I can see you refuse to admit that you are holding my life in your hands

I could live without you for at least an hour
I could do it
I could forget
I could live for sixty glorious minutes
I could crush the bitter glass between my swollen lips and taste you on every ragged inhalation
and live
I don’t believe you
neither do I but you could at least lie, for my sake, you could at least try to pick up the pieces
What pieces?
*******
What pieces?
the pieces
What pieces?
the ones on the pavement
What pavement?
my pavement
The pavement you chose, the pavement you are painted on, the pavement you are falling between the cracks of
Yes, the pavement
It’s red hot this time of year
I know.  How long has it been?
4 minutes
Am I dead yet?
No
Am I alive?
Not quite
*******
You’re just in pieces
I know.   How much longer till I’ve won?
A lifetime
Well how long will that take?
How should I know?
Am I done yet?
The girl’s feet won’t be ****** after she runs down the street
It’s dry, then
Cleaned,  by now
How long?
*Long enough