Modus Operandi

Standing on corners Of cracked and crumbling lanes
     You remember names
And the blood inside your veins
Concentration breaks
You forgot the mark you made
And the ones they make...
     wash away with stains and paint

And for a moment under street lights' hum
You take a breath
     tentative
Shakes
     Set
          In
Shivers
     Come
And in the morning if you happen to make it home
Try to stop the storming
     that shudders inside your cranium
          Eat some breakfast
          Drink some coffee
          Then go back to bed
It's 10:00, it's 1:00, now Sunday's gone
Your memory's made of lead

It's now the time,
     you're out of time
And hands aching hard
     breaking pacts
          staking claims
writing checks that your heart can't cash

And reaching farther, much the same
In Minnesota, Florida, Maine
          The bedroom walls
          inside your brain
          will take the blame again

          Will take the blame again
          It'll be the same again

It always seems

Another naked Monday afternoon
     drunk on bad dreams

(October 4, 2010)