Originally published in Prairie Margins 50th Anniversary Issue
It hurts to be here,
to stand by the window,
to see the clock,
watch the hour drip
and wait until it’s already late.
Night advances the way
wind pushes smoke.
I think the floor and ceiling
are sinking at the same speed.
The gloaming of the windows
from the inside makes me
think there isn’t enough to observe
and sometimes my eyes burn
at night when I stare
at the single dim glimmer.
Black air presents a streetlamp,
a grin with a gold tooth,
the darkest mouth
and an aggressive gesture
that bends a tree.
Night grin slides
along a warm street.
I step outside, reach
into the damp coffee space,
the center of the night,
take a firm grasp
of what is enclosed
and pull myself through.