Third Shift Nine Years Old: Point of View



Point of View

Third Shift:

Nine Years Old


redemption he'd given me

to believe was empty

and returnable


and in some states

redeemable

marked in two 


obvious places

on the can:

body: face


the top flat etch

and to save

space 


abbreviated: ME-

VT-CT-MA-

NY-OR-


IA 5c MI 10c

CA CRV

Going postal and going


alone, my brother's 

all spokes and stop

motion the morning


after some road

party and he combs

the ditches


that shrugged up

the drive by's wrist/

flick with the stub-


end flint-stricken

glow of the un-

ceremonously blown.


Open your throat.  Go

down the pipe audaciously,

grip your own bliss.


It will surface 

in sweat on your lip

it will 


You will look 

after it's all been blown

comb those 


broken shoals

and moan you will

moan and groan


in your own

abandonment and show

up early at opening


and hold the most

you will ever be known

to locate naked-


eyed and try to return

the three glass

empties miraculously 


unbroken: Allen's 

fifth of coffee

brandy


finished and rinsed

your mother still

in bed sleeping it all off



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