delete / gently

and he crosses paths and makes a funny stumble like
this is not deeply felt
it narrows closely
like a thickly drawn line of words

adolescence is permanent markers and
songs of crass nullified defiance and
cigarettes proud and elongated chained
repeated and remixed into
conversations with strangers to flow
over them like blankets punched with breath
and more words

these are more words
keep coming
scatter my eager entrance into
pocked regret

find my wrecked reflection in metrocards and
underneath beer glasses in the packed bar
residing in my handled relics
transfer meaning and submerged eloquence to the
objects touched in travel

i seek definition in privately held things

finding it
wretchedly disappointed in it

color each segment of the sidewalk with
thoughtless steps to somebody else thinking
i
can't
be
here

for long not long i snaked a careful finger on your smile
touching your mouth before it parted before
rediscovering its shade

no shadow hides me and
i would erase this
becoming the cul-de-sac of a bruise

hands of strangers welcome me rudely
expectantly
erroneously

i drink two beers that say
fuck you
and leave

if i am young and recast as traitor to
all these careless mishaps

then fuck you is a smile that welcomes and enervates me
that walks me towards your wall

yet i pick these moments gently

if i am old and crushed by fuckups old and young i
cruise with it

i lift it from its odd angle

i put it down