she shrieks when she speaks--
she hooks me up,
transfusion--
black venom for my veins,
madness in place of melody,
or even respectable melancholy,
the guitar crawls,
the same notes beating it to death,
she shrieks when she speaks--
the sounds intertwine,
birthing a million-pound, ******* headache--
the runaway claustrophobia blues hit hard--
I unbutton my wrinkled shirt, throw it
against the couch,
Rachel asks me not to leave without her--
but when the madness bites hard,
she drags her feet.

I leave Rachel and the shards of my soul
somewhere between the dogpiss rug
and the whitewashed door--
enter the night,
soulless,
my ape body half-alive--
thirsty to die,
the wind eats my exposed skin,
my arms pump locomotion,
hop curb, clear cracks, gaps,
faster. faster. faster.
I scream,
echoes rattle the complex,
a child watches on a distant doorstep--
get ready kid, the next dose:
yours--