Night and Day
Saturday night
Multicolor LED glow
Warm susurrus of conversation
Drinks flow
Red curtains, black walls
I am at home here
Radiant chimes from hot tubes
A shout, a thump, heads nod in response
Pressure building, louder, stomping, raging
Warmth washing over the lip of the stage
The tingle of souls soothed
It comes easy now
It didn’t used to
But now it does
I’m doing it right
Monday morning
Electronic screech
Knives in temples
Grunts and protests
Eyes bleary
Compliance
Shoulders heavy
White lights flicker
Too bright
Tolerant looks from co-workers
Are you okay?
Maybe take some time
I’m doing it wrong
The daywalker
Taking his serum
But not really fooling anyone
Something not quite right
About that guy
Are you happy here?
Get some rest
Bedtime passed again
Like a roach
A junkie
Pulled to the dark places
To get another fix
Texts from home
How much longer?
Almost done
Just one more
Song
Drink
Both
Not fooling anyone
Certainly not the ones I love most
The ones who know
Back home
Envelopes with windows
Surprise
May as well be a million
Put it on the pile
For sometime
The future
What even is it
Anymore
I’m doing it wrong
But I know
That when the words come out
When the notes echo
In just the right places
Joy will return
And it will carry me
Through one more day
I’m doing it
I can do nothing else