gonna catch your death

spent three days in bed

feverish, soaking the sheet in sweat

hacking up a lung

 

i’m sure it had nothing to do

with being out all night in the pouring rain

walking around soaking wet

chain smoking

packing three flasks and finishing them

 

before the dawn broke i was already feeling terrible

some man approached me

he didn’t look homeless

but he was begging change

i told him i didn’t have any silver

 

he got agitated, threatening

and i wasn’t in the mood

i turned and hit him

i use to box

so i know how to punch

and the years of weight lifting haven’t left me weak

 

his feet went out from under him

as he soared to the ground

 

truth is this is what i have felt worse about

for the past few days

hitting him

guess i’m just not the complete asshole

i use to be in my youth

 

i’m feeling better

and on the road to recovery

i’ve drank so much water tonight

my lower intestines are drowning

 

i walk around the small interior of my place

restless now that the illness is passing

i find my cigarettes and pick them up

holding the pack in my hand i crush it

and toss it into the trash

 

***