I come back



the hardened hand my

hardened hand: where did I

put it? I put it in the freezer

where it froze on the Stoli. I

put it in a hole up on Naticook

Pond where a scrim froze

around it. broke my skin

and drew blood as I drew out

a Perch



every road in this town: a

cooling board for dreams

put to rest. yet all ghosts remain.

they live and breathe and walk

like me. I can't stop listening

nor doing their bidding



the Chinese bartender

slipped the info to me, scrawled on a

square napkin: all gone friends

were imaginary and

New York City

is Hell



I said OK young fella

now fire me up another Fogcutter:



I got miles more to go

and it's a far cry

till dark