read the headlines

handful of something nice

shirt holding pants together

or apart

of me says nothing

at this time

I will not lose the race

to the top off my coffee

is not hot enough

of this

way to the river

is you and me as well

is deeper than an eye can see

what is going on and off

like a strobe light dancing

a left or right turn

into a vacant lot

of them here now I can explain

the situation is not a thing to be

or not to be special today—

yeah give me that and I won’t argue

until 2:15 am time to sleep

your tired eyes before

E=mc squared the circles

I can’t draw a straight line

up in order of importance

what is it and why does the sound

a voice or thought of a face makes

us physically ill

so I won’t work today

will be yesterday tomorrow

does that make sense enough

to know I will not stand up

straight and be proud

to be nothing

can explain itself

without sounding the alarm

wake me after the smoke clears

tables like bus boys chasing girls

down the hall

way has to end sooner or later

and then where will you go

to the end of an addicts recovery

discovery of a place

I have never seen so many frowning faces

in the same directions

lead me but I do not follow

the leader will not carry

his or her own weight

one more hour

time has come here

what I have read the headlines

speak for themselves. . .