pierce and

caress

shred my flesh

the contours

bare

of my body

to the elements

naked

vulnerable

they see all that I hide

A wave of mucus and snot cascades out of his nose

collecting in the soft awaiting tissue. It caresses

the nostrils, wiping up what has been left behind

and gets tossed carelessly in the garbage, infecting

all that come near with a similar fate.

He lays, not on a throne of sexual pleasures,

or even a cloud of pleasurable dreams,

but on lumpy surface where he tosses and turns.

Covers on, covers off, covers on, covers off.

How does one get off this dizzying ride?

He slurps ginger ale and crunches crackers

a promising meal for a churned stomach

while the essence of meatloaf fills his lungs

teasing his rumbling tummy. Something

hammers inside his head; he closes his eyes.

The red of the mercury is less than the day before

and he forces himself out of his tomb. His nose is

clear of snot, the hammering is silent, and the

queasy ache has disappeared, but crumpled up

tissues remain, littering the battlefield with memories

of yesterday.

Buy eggs, milk, oj, cereal, ½ pound chicken

paper plates that won’t break when thrown

Deposit check on counter before 5

take your name off account while there

Pay electric bill

don’t forget to shut off front porch light at night

Shut all windows so neighbors don’t hear

close the blinds so they don’t see

Pick up prescription

buy bandages, ointment, and cover-up, too

Get suitcase down from attic to pack

don’t forget toothbrush

Leave key on counter when you go

sweaty f

l

esh stick

bind

fingers play

a passi

o

nate show

radiant

v

alliant

forgot

e

n by

m

orning’s

e

ncore