Poem of the Day 04.03.09

finally going mad

we sit in the train tunnel
for fifteen minutes in
absolute silence
people are checking their watches
and cell phones
and sidekicks
rustling papers
and i am trying to read
a book
but all i can think about
is how i’m hungover again
and late for work
then the conductor comes
on the p.a. and says
we are delayed because
of train traffic ahead
and i know for a fact
that there is no train traffic
ahead
because i waited twenty-five
minutes
on a franklin avenue platform
and not one fucking train
came by
so i shout out to nobody
“that’s fucking bullshit!
we should murder them all!”
then i realize what i’ve done
i think this
this is where it starts
a madness that you can
no longer
keep hidden
deep inside you
and i get scared
i burry my face back in the
book
i was trying to read
i concentrate on my
breathing
and silently wait
for the train to start
moving again.