A rude awakening:
A friend’s best impression of
A thousand,
Deep,
Bellowing trombones.
“BWAAAAWWWWP!”
Shake it off.
Walk home and go to bed.
Fasten hat to head:
“Bye everybody.”
(wave)

Good choice on the hat,
‘Tis chilly.

Text her, “Hi,” just because.
Just in case.

Long walk home
Late at night
And still groggy.
Those trombones still ringing in my ears.

I feel new.
Like a kitten.

Every sound on the street inspires shudders.
Cars approaching from behind:
Crescendos dropping into empty ringing silence.

Someone laughs down a dark side street.
Head jerks,
And looks away.
There it is again.
Is it for me?
Walk faster.

I might still be sleeping…
Although I’m pretty sure—what’s that?
A bicycle,
Or the amplified sound of an insect
Cleaning itself.

Where is that shadow coming from?
Is something floating above this intersection?
Just keep walking.
But only after
I push this button
That does nothing.
I guess I’m just a pigeon
Flapping my wings.
But don’t I know it.
How sad is that?
Where’s that Morpheus with my **** pills?

Home base.
Olly olly oxen free.