fishing

i tell my doctor i'm in pain

and she tells me to see

a psychiatrist

the room is 7 x 7 x 10

there's a door but i

can't open it

somewhere there's a net

being tied together

to catch fish

and a marathon

will take place at dawn

but there are no runners

my body is tired of

living out this rat race

of pain

it wants to swim

out to sea and sink

but it won't make it

somewhere the crickets

have started to flood

the night with sound

somewhere a dogwood

is covered with a parasite

and doesn't bloom

a dog barks

a door opens

a fish is caught

i'm sitting here without

hope because hope

left long ago

shall i eat pizza

listen to jazz

fish for poems

shall i say thank you

for what was once

a meaningful life

pain takes everyday issue

with modest undertakings

like bathing or breathing

pain takes away the

last ounce of goodwill

you have for yourself

a lawnmover starts

gets louder and

softer across the street

the sun is shining and

everybody's up and at 'em

with joy and thanksgiving

i tell my doctor i'm in pain

and she tells me to see

a psychiatrist

the room is 7 x 7 x 10

there's a door but i

can't open it