Poem of the Day 09.08.08

another old one. forgive me. i've been writing ficiton again, so the poems have slowed:

drowning on hertel avenue

you see
dear
you’re talking
to a dead man
in this dead
car
on this dead street,
somewhere in the midst
of dante’s hell.
and those people
smiling
as we cry and yell,
those people outside
the restaurant,
laughing,
actually having a
friday night,
well
let’s just say they
are illusions
and this whole sick
mistake has been
made up,
all in an effort to save
good time.
if you look closely you
can see old brooklyn,
if you look closely
you can see beyond
the past few years.
i can’t tell you
it won’t
always be like this,
but if i could take back
telling you
that you weren’t my friend,
if i could take back
lumping you
with all of the others,
i would
because, christ,
you’re probably the only
friend i have in this
rotten city,
and quite possibly
you are the only friend
i’ve ever had
in my life,
and right now i could
use you,
see,
because everything
has become
too much
and i fear i might
drown
on the pavement
tonight.

10.24.06