she counts the stars
above her head
they shine bright,
they gleam and they glow,
but her future grows dim.
the tunnel closes day by day
her skin turns dark
her lips turn pale
she thinks on dreams and empty promises
and sweet nothings.
but somehow, she lives.
her heart beats, second by second
a hot, molten heart
It stretches her skin
pounds further and further out of her chest.
What would you do with a molten heart?
Her heart grew too hot for her body to bear
It burned her hands and feet and face, so
it turned cold. she turned cold.
it chilled her. It chilled her veins and
her bones and
her mind, and it set her free.

This is a poem,
***** the rules.

Messy, 'specially on Sundays.
Feet a'shamble from stumblin' drunkhappy.
"It's all good, baby," Blakey yells over the drums.

Bourbon flavored women hard to swallow
with their jagged softness. Smoking section (whites) stares
down dance floor (everyone else) with guilt induced jealousy.

Coltrane's back in Philly studyin.'
Pinstriped chuckle from the Rosenbergs;
kinetic energy giving birth to the cool.

The trumpeter's high turns his tool into a weapon.
The sound briefly stealing him from his demons.
"I'll find a guy when I finish my set."

Black and white televisions: blacks in white suites
Smiling china white for an all white audience.
The movers, to this point, have only been black.

Little hero Harry thinks
  blacks and whites should die on the battlefield together.
Everyone's starting to get it.

"That guitar sweeter than my old lady."
Charlie and Miles holding each other's needles
while Thelonious and his hard candy go bad.

Leanin' on bricks in a back alley.
The circle passes the joint around like the good times.
"Just keep em rollin."

The skirts expand and deflate wildly to the rhythm.
Pure sweat melting into the floors like drops of water on roots.
A melody never heard before.

.
*1
Paired truths' paradox
Instant gratifications
Dissatisfactions


2
Black and white suits drone
Crushing joys in stale board rooms
Wishing for lunchtime


3
Only prints can touch
Rejection up on the screens
Instant messages


4
At water cooler
Smiles are leaving as they begin
Punch clock is waiting


5
New lovers are blind
Eyes on mobile devices
Hands in empty laps


6
Paper copies voids
Work a day world is shuffled
Even carpets smudged


7
Message coming in
Break away from actuality
Machine is turnoff


8
Monitoring tables
New job for prince or princess
Thrown cushy with wheels


9
Economy rules
Each worker replaceable
Sociopaths king


10
Drones chirp in dreamworld
Beyond corporate glass room
Birds singing outside