Smokebreak Poem by John Allen

smokebreak

Jose C.

sagging coats
picked limply from
the graffitied cubby.
slipped on like bruised
banana peels

or

commercial straight-
jackets threaded
with stitched wrists


the zippers open onto
dauchau's rib
indelible slashes
carved masterfully
in animal randomness


A Spanish girl
flaked skin falling
covers her mouth
with a napkin
she's drawn on,


muttering about germs.
filing along like
miscalculated index numbers

wait. 'you, with
the bruises that have
a good memory and a bandaged
wrist. go


sit by the telephone
where 'FEAR TOMORROW'
was carved into the wall
by some earnest unfortunate.



tonight is still CO:
constant observation for
short i will


watch you when my coffee
is strong
when i am weak think
of how you got here,

and avoid anything sharp.'