
rain hits different
walking downtown on Fall nights
don’t even feel wet

Photo By: Sara Swain
street of dampened cobblestone
dirty pigeons and trampled smokes
where marquee lights faded in the creeping sun
and police cruiser chirps, shooed on
as randoms of strangers filter out of holes in the walls
scurrying from the light
with squinted eyes, messed up hair…
empty pockets and smeared makeup
they all zombie
stagger…stumble…kiss and curse
down a drunk-filled stretch
past half-eaten pizza by the atm
after the hot dogs being served with rotten hands
before the guy with the sign looking for money
next to the lady who bums cigarettes
while muffled beats still play out
faint
like the night is still hanging on
barely
to dull-sounding music like life support
it makes you sick as you stand there
then you laugh for no reason
check your pockets
and hail that holy cab

it is raining now
it has never really stopped
like tears from that day

fading fading fast
no one can see where I’ve gone
must be how I blend

summer is closing
September trips at its door
a fall worth taking

that night there was a fire in all their eyes
each time a heartbeat, another felt its rhythmic passion
a guise was given to open the euphoric
allow dreams to transpire
give way to deep fantasies
unlock rooms full of lust
a house of secrets welcomes a guest
sweat makes him shine like a trophy
his skin is a craving
aphrodisiac to taste
casting eyes no matter where the gaze
he cannot see for propositions
adventures without warnings
free tickets without cost
dare he swims in a sea of naked taunts
dare he wade in a sultry ocean
dare he listen to pleading whispers
dare he…