Farewell

I found a loose slab of stone outside the department store.

I tossed it aside and began to dig; the earth was

soft and caved in easy, soon I was in to my

waist. Size 34;

A crowd gathered but stepped back

before my screaming lungs and

canon ball like shots of mud.

and by the time the cops came, I was in below

my head,

Frightening crawlers, eels, and finding bits of golden

inlaid skull,

and they asked me, are you looking for oil, treasure,

gold, the end of China? Are you looking for love, God

a lost key chain? And shoppers dropped keys and peered

into my darkness, and a psychiatrist came

and a

high school teacher and a size zero movie star in a bikini and

a Russian spy and a Jihadi bomber and a Chinese soldier,

and a drama critic and my accountant, a leather jacket clad old boyfriend,

and they all asked  me,

what are you looking for?

and soon it began to rain…submarines changed course,

Bukowski rolled in his sleep, and my hole filled

with water; I came out black as the night, shooting stars

and epitaphs, my pockets full of beautiful worms,

and they took me in, gently nudging me toward a shower

and a nice cell, rent-free, and

I hear people picketing in my cause,

I have signed contracts to sell my words

I have signed contracts to appear on stage

I have vowed to vote for a better government

I have enough money to last me several years at the best hotels.

But as soon as I get out of here,

I am going to find me another loose slab of stone and begin to dig

dig, dig and this time I am not coming back….rain, shine or leather jackets.

Yet, they keep asking, why did you do it?

I pour me another bourbon and smile.