2003, February 27, 12:21 p.m.

across quad diagonal stripes walk the way center square so bright in the sun so bright i take six blind steps far far away so far to walk i can’t keep track of how many miles i’ve gone so far this year last year or next year printed a hundred copies so far this year free copies down the stairs work work

work due tomorrow due always twelve pages of paper to write by now now now always demands on precious time that no one but me can lay claim to except they want me

my time three times over until i’ve got a hundred and eighty i belong to the ten thousand a year slave to the hours and the hours and the hours endless count ‘em five twelve page papers in less than two years i could write a book i’ve read so many what do you want it on

suicide buddhism schizophrenia chicanas catastrophism

only ten more to go in two weeks i have everyday made for me tell us this tell us that explain the world to us little one and do it in fifty minutes

dance with me and my dayquil starved brain though we don’t know the lines do you think they’ll mind

finish the work work work need more hours upon hours upon hours eat quick or you’ll lose it lost it on the floor left with only root beer and dry bagels from your shelves

until they bring you back into the world to shake the rug and battle the cobwebs trickle down my arms weave in with hair on my arms i’m wearing cobwebs all over hair face arms clothes and escape follow up out of

the doors blast of cold air in open coat skip to the library lou orange orb white square high above my head in towering money wasters that tell nothing but my lack of time inside sliding door opens nose to nose with walkie-talkie white t-shirt hands clasped in front down

down the stairs quickened pace and out again colder down here on the lower elevation his truck parked there

take steps two, three run by street and feels good to run against cold wind on zipped coat wait for light in

green and red

symphony playing in mostly darkness but convenience store closed no juice ‘til morning take the stairs one, stairs two, wrong floor wrong doors three stairs

home home home

9:52 p.m., February 27, 2003