with Richard Berry& Michelle T. Clinton
Watching
the television on
tv tray by the bedstead, plate of food
fish odor rising and blue cheese dressing
the curling upward of smoke
outside raining
kids in the bedroom playing, squeals of laughter
die down as bed time approaches and grabs them
the television, on
black and white people moving in fantastic world
tv tray by the bedstead, plate of food empty
stale smell of cigarette smoke
me in bed, watching--waiting
clock ticks raucous
boom boom boom bass sound of neighbor's stereo below
faint voice of woman yelling in apartment next door
looking at the window, stars break thru the rain
letting up
bang bang bang, cops and robbers on television
the book, open, lays face down beside me
sleep runs away every time i reach for it
i am hungry--feeding time at the vagina
half-naked i hide between sheets
he lays there with me 32 years dead
his corpse shows no sign of life
he can't fool me
one eye is watching television
