Did anyone tell you
that you’re prettier
than the water between
the grooves of the asphalt
after it rains?

with traffic lights glowing
through those tiny lakes

I was standing in an empty pool
while everyone was smoking
and watching the tedious fate
of all the cigarette ashes
soon to be washed away
and murdered by chlorine

Watching smoke elude his light yellow teeth:

he shot dope a lot
dropped too much acid, too young
I’m glad I’m not him

At the end of a rainbow
lies a young girl squatting in a wash
she’ll wake up in a gutter
and harass tourists to the next town

Red hair, punk rock girl
“you are wonderful, can I
buy some ecstasy?”

Waiting for the snow to fall
so you’ll put on that plaid jacket
that I met you in
and I’ll take pictures of you walking
down a street

on the bus, on the way to the sacrifice
you put on your war paint
and I wear that nice shirt my father bought me

you were like a bat
a face with wings
that hovered over my head
while I smelt smoke
acrid smoke
barbarians in the gutter
roasting their enemies

Do you hear that?
The braves are stomping over the embers
metal walls and rocky head collisions
and the promise of sleepless nights out

blazing stars
shot down by the clueless wishing
of the blessed infants and deadly lullabies
plastic bags choke on the cardinal’s throat

Let me stand in the fire pit again
my shoes smelled like smoke and
burnt plastic
for only a week

There are split seconds
of snakes and swines
fighting inside my pupils
waiting for five dollar bills
to show them the light

On the bus ride home
I wait a few minutes
before the last stop
and try to get the spit out
of my throat
so I don’t look
like a fool
(like I do every other day of the week)