real sweetheart

real sweetheart

"oh sure, they all are,"
- one black second -
match strike glance - a raindrop,
"when they want something."

smoke & spit; bluchers clap
like drunks at the derby
across slick pavement.

"time time time time,"
oh man - he laughs,
"it's a killer."

classically backward,
it begins again: a faucet
then - a slam, a breeze

.the door opens
my eyes up; a folder
thrown in the lamplight.
"outside?" - "let's step."

-one bottomless second-

"she used to be
a real sweetheart,"
I finally say.