Drying out the soft hands of winter. The slow cultivation of heat blisters from white concrete. Cherub down and horseflies pressed against the hot window. Evenings of inky-red fingerprints on white cardstock. Trying to triage and bandage middle age. Uncannily clean brochures for Zoloft* in piles of old mail. The model of orally induced happiness has the face of a former lover. My heart cries me to sleep at the loss of discomfort.

4:52 p.m. - 2021-05-13