poem of the day 02.05.10

if i had it my way

i would be in bed right now
in my torn boxer shorts
in that t-shirt that my wife gave me

the one with the sweat
and wine stains on it

i’d have the covers pulled up
just high enough
the torn brown sheet over the windows
stretched to keep out the light
the curtains drawn
sealed together with some of my wife’s hair clips

there’d be a bottle of wine
on the nightstand

it would be cheap red wine from france

my glass would be full

i’d have tom waits playing
he would be singing
i hope that i don’t fall in love with you
on the half-broken sony cd player.

one of the cats would be resting on my belly
the other would be at the end of the bed
resting between my feet

of course you’d be there too, dear

you’d have your glass of wine
resting on your stomach
waiting for me to refill it

outside there’d be no voices
no cars and no dogs

there’d be nothingness
sweet bliss and nothingness

the world would stay like that
the whole day
silent and black

while we drank glass after glass
of the cheap french red
and made our way through tom waits’ whole catalog

the world at large would go to hell
if i had it my way

but we know it’s never my way, baby

you’re at home right now
sick with a cold for two days

i’m on this morning bus again
reading the same bad novel that i started
reading yesterday

going to work

forever hustling to make a buck
for the electric company and the landlord
for the pleasure of all those other faces
that i’ve never even seen.