slow emphatic automobile
draws to a halt
close enough for door
opening catching tree
metal on nature
only sound that hot morning,
unaware or uncaring
he stood and wiped hands
damp from steering a long way
on pants,
out of city into suburban country,
some things had been forgotten
as if an egg timer
had it’s sand shaken loose,
mind conjured and played tricks,
as he looked at what could
only be a desolate shack,
collapsed porch
dark smoke mascara
about window edges
bleak eyes that wound,
no hurry in placing feet
a kind of lawn congealed
with weeds and long brambles,
stumble
touch bottle in jacket pocket
making sure it’s still there
whiskey would be only thirst quencher
as water cut off
nothing was disguised
it could be yesterday
fingered wedding band
his second the first removed
gone it hurt in a painful tightness,
timbers cracked door flat inside
still smelled smoke,
across the wall graffiti
where family pictures once hung
stirred dust with feet
voices came back as soft ghosts
still caught in this place,
he took a sip of whiskey
sweat traveled across his brow,
jar rattled on the floor
dog barked beyond decaying
timber confines,
other pocket heavy as well
as he slipped jacket off,
whiskey bottle put on what was
the kitchen table
charred becoming lopsided,
drew revolver with every chamber full,
a heavy sun filled yard
put short shadows on the fence,
gardeners with hosepipe,
birds
children
sunbathers
housewives,
heard the bang
a short report
announcing another ghost
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