Book of J

Almost a fable where dogs are enabled
to speak like boys
Almost a reptile, splayed in the sunshine,
missing it's tail
Almost a landmark covered in spraypaint,
thumbtacks and nails

Almost a red star, a polaroid flash
a gleam in her eye
It's best not to mock her, sobbing and coughing,
slumped on the stairs
Spiraling through the same ugly building
all of us shared

Goddamn the stench,
the smell of the garbage bags tossed in the hall
Witnesses gathering, too scared,
Jehovah waits out on the lawn
He's standing outside near basketball nets made of chain
Baring his teeth before children
who wait to play a quick game

I'll beg a little
(let's just stay here a while)
just enough to take your mind
(won't you please come inside?)
off of the trouble
(I'm afraid of the dark)
I'll fix the clocks when we get back the lights
(so quiet tonight)
Just one thing at a time

You're not so heavy or tortured
or comfortable or totally distinct

Almost a red star, a polaroid flash
a gleam in her eye
It's best not to mock her, sobbing and coughing,
slumped on the stairs
Spiraling through the same ugly building
all of us shared