NaPM April 22 2016

[bedeep]

No Great Loss

I lost it in Baltimore.
The bartender came
and took my beer.
I started after him
but Ken and Dennis
each took an arm
and lifted me out of there.

That was just
a practice run.

I lost it for real
the night Jan told me
"hush you'll wake the neighbors."
"Fuck the neighbors, I'll wake the world"
I cursed and howled,
ran up the street howling,
sat under a billboard
in a vacant lot
on the waterfront
howling. I still feel
that howl propel me,
sing in my throat,
vibrate my ribs.

I howled myself down
while the clear night took
all my voice gave it
and the creosoted pole
holding up that huge sign
held me up too
like a good friend.

Yeah, I lost it
but I got my life back.