the quiet of the tangle of a cigarette’s ghost
leaping slowly away from itself or
the quiet of eyes winking or blinking or
closing in the dark
we’re an odd duo
you & I like
two lone predators cautiously feeding
on the same remains of someone else’s kill
sounds low mean and guttural
always in the back of our throats
each warning the other to
maintain an intimate distance
or
are we beggars along the
avenue of experience
ragged in the shreds and patches
of what’s left of our faith in some
dogmatic Hollywood love
haven’t we blown our kisses
on every one but each other
I will fight you
in the alley w/a brick
for the last good scrap
of your affection
wait
I’m sorry
wait
I was merely taken for a moment
by the soft grenade of your goodbye