An Ether

Past the fountain out of repair And the boarded diner A small studio You’d never told anyone about Where old clothes have remained Right where you’ve dumped them Side by side With random notes and sketches When someone close to you Has a different idea of what you represent He insisted You’ll write a check for the loan There were other misjudgments As well. Exits were being blocked Down every hall I walked Until a sort of muscle memory— Well, I knew it all along, of course, But thought it was in the future, It rested like a memory— This desire For a place respecting anonymity Oiling your .38 Special, Like a criminal readying for benefits A bottle of Jack Daniels— This and more Shaded by echoing buildings With a glance toward the harbor The water rough with small debris Today