sometimes pooh bear wriggles free

      (the dark streets of decay 14)

 

the bartender ejects the CD

and i ask him to put in

one that i have brought

 

he reads,

“come in and burn by rollins band”

he shrugs his shoulders

inserts the CD and hits play

 

and she walks in

but it only takes a couple of rounds

before my silence makes a sound

and all of her talking

makes me dream of walking

the dark streets of decay

 

for i have realized

her beauty

(oh my god)

creates a duty

an honor to die for

 

but that is not what i have been looking for

 

since the day she left

i have been bereft

not of someone whom i can love in the lava flow of their flaws

but of someone who could love me

as the me who i seem to be these days

on the dark streets of decay

 

i place a few bills on the bar

lean over and kiss her cheek

look in her eyes and say

“please never contact me again”

i leave the bar another stray

and almost get down and kiss

the dark streets of decay

 

***