Park hits the overpass
hits Almann hits Francis:
nobody goes that way,
even in the daytime.
The air had chilled.
The expressway never far off
echoed against the nothingness
of blocks of industry
quiet for the night.
I turned my music louder,
Mother of Pearl, he sang,
having a place in your heart makes
me feel more real. I
put my arm out the window
felt the cold on my skin
and remembered you
tilting your head
not drunk
and smiling at me
like you might have been
talking about the revolution
talking about hope
and I knew
the word embarrassment
had changed its scope.
What I wouldn’t do
if you just asked.