there are ways
john sweet
there are ways
to survive winter
you have to give up on god
drink wild cherry pepsi
in a silent house
all afternoon
shoot dogs
shoot beggars
shoot poets
remember that
all three are
evolved from the same species
ignore your
wife/husband
when s/he
gets home from work
turn up the stereo
count the skulls you've collected
name them after famous suicides
clean your gun
reload it
shoot priests
shoot waitresses
shoot businessmen
always smile
floss but don't brush
contemplate suicide
admit nothing
john sweet
2003 tracy st
endicott ny 13760
the baby warm inside
where we are is here
streets without direction
beneath a sky
without history
and i refuse
to lament the sun
i will not
believe
newspapers
and now
the neighbors
have bought a man
on fire
his eyes insane
his skin
beautiful
and you sit by the window all afternoon with a soft look on your face
your eyes shaped like hearts
the baby warm inside of you
and i'm afraid of the silence
you've become
