by Max Savery

There, the crowd

and man stared back

no one he knew

anyone he could endure; that neither

here

nor there 

next, took his pants to the fire walked 

on his hands

collapsed 

in the obligatory heap

applause deafening 

alternatively

deafened by the fall no applause 

at all 

 

At the bar that night,

the child approached

really brave of you

child said

replied, kid, what are you doing in a bar, get out of here

get lost

eyes watering, she ran away before he could 

say sorry

for the gruff tone

bought another drinkthenanother

business as usual

staggered home

 

Cat waited by the door 

when he stumbled in 

smiled, because he knew the cat didn’t mind 

him

no matter the tears spilt 

in other dimensions, lifetimes, etcetera

like when he was the crow in New York for a while

the delivery truck hit him that

put an end to that

truck is not your friend

friends don’t do that to one another

he couldn’t forget that

 

Cat turned 

anus elevated

strode down the hall

following what did he expect: 

cat 

drinking from the toilet

man knelt too

lapped along too

nearly brushing cat’s whiskers 

with his own prickly cheek