BLUES ON THE RADIO
laura,
tears run silently down her
cheeks
coffee in front of her
old blues song on the radio
mom too tired and hungover
laura wanting happiness
wanting understanding
mom too tired and wasted
ain’t no purpose she says,
there ain’t none
mike at home lighting a
rock
tears on his cheek
heavy metal on the ghetto
no family
friends an illusion
“c’mon,’ says reggie,
“it ain’t so bad”
laura hands mom a smoke
mom shaking the hangover
chills
shaking hand lights a match
laura
looks out window
kids playing in the snow
mailman on corner blows out smoke
a firetruck makes its run,
ain’t no purpose she says,
there ain’t none
mike shakes reggie’s hand
“we’re not going to make it, are we?”
reggie smiles
laura cries
“no…”says reggie,
“but who the hell does?”
***