Just Shut Up

9 a.m.

and I’m looking for my glasses

so I can look for my house keys.

I give up

sit before the window

Monday

watching all those below

huzzing to battle

rats with their asses

cut off

trying to

“get stuff done”

whatever that means.

My aunt keeps writing me asking

why I don’t write back

asking

why I don’t come and visit.

What is there to write about?

What is there to visit about?

I don’t get it.

I am ashamed of this world.

Truly, madly, lividly.

This cesspool of phoney desire

clinking change

and daily self-deception.

Most days I sit in bed

sucking on a watermelon rind

waiting for something to happen

something REAL to happen

– a fresh smell of lilac

– a child’s squeal of delight

– a fresh breeze

to waff through the window.

Not happening.

Just the always whine of a lawnmower

churning through the manufactured beauty

of the golf course across the street

the hum

of my mind

and those below going about

their busyness

betraying this world

one second at a time.

I’ve had enough of it all.

I guess I should

get out of the house

go visit my aunt

and apologize for not writing

because

I have nothing good to say

and

if you can’t say something nice

you should just

shut your god damn pen up.