by William Pedlow

This is the closest to life in six lifetimes.

right now, and don’t ruin it for me.

 

I like the way old things sound

when they are dying:

things deep in caves 

lost things

old instruments broken systems

covered with dust

fascination is no excuse, yes?

but stealing is permissible,

when a thing is so old

recycling, stealing, 

just letting it all out with no cause or

like not making a whole big thing out of it,

in someone else’s voice

all of it is okay.

Have you ever spent so long in a hot shower

that you think you’re gonna die in there 

like you just forgot you were there at all:

you need to be careful, all the time,

I loved a man who choked on a chicken bone

laughing