“exceptions to mercy”

your cigarette burned sweater has more holes than normal you should be more careful and not sleep sitting up

there's smoke all around your red rimmed eyes but it doesn't ever keep you warm

no

the makeup on your face says that you're getting ready (again) to move back to the room that you used to share with someone who was never there

last night i heard something that must have set you running i guess it won't take much distance to outpace such routine demons

when i found sleep again you had followed me there in my dream you were arm and arm with three strolling spanish sailors you pulled your hair back so one could whisper something into your pink ear

i woke up without knowing

and locked my cage behind me followed a trail of cold blood to the nearest heart sick street preacher and stepped to the back of the line to get my dose of gospel

and when I drank it to the edge of poison I could finally lay full empty and quiet, the grey light rising around me my back straight with the floor, and wait for the day to end

and as the city sank into shadow like a flag draped coffin being lowered into the ground the street shriek dulled to a quiet moan

I could only ask you only for one last thing

will you please not ever come home again