VODKA TORMENT dry torrential

open the freezer and hear the voice
of the fan rushing
the dry chill skittering across the
wrapped cutlets
the plastic thighs
and legs of poultry
Ice trays with a deposit
of ice
Lean in my forehead
resting on the metal
plastic liner
feel the hum of
the magnetic drive
Hear the insect buzz
of the ballast going
on a kitchen tube
No rain for awhile
the heat clinging
Days arrival the
insects voice ringing
in the jade sweat
of canopy

dust rising on
the concession
streets
calcium carbonate
would dampen it

I pull my forehead
back
fingering three
cubes into the glass
fill it half full with
Stohliknya
shirt unbuttoned
pajama pants on
Flip the telly on too
see the time
its only past one

In a dream it was
late October
there was frost
beneath my boots
ice in the dirt
beneath the streets
I had the leather
and vest...
a cotton shirt I
forgot about
a cap I hadnt worn
in years
I could see the patterns
of the twigs and shrubs
and watch the cold
wind move the traffic
light in the intersection
of the town

I hauled myself up
the skinny set of stairs
drink in hand
letting the dream
shiiver in its moment
like a pond at night
rippling
slowly crawled
onto the bed
the ragged heap
of pillows propping
me up
the fan throwing its
wave of current
How I loved that droning
how it drowned out the
silence and the
things I heard drifting
between sleep and
the next dream
Took a long gulp of
the ice and vodka
and lay there
watching a minute
hand track around
a wall clock
the hallucinations
were coming back
more salacious
the faces I was
remembering
I hadnt gone out
in three days
Not since I was
relaxing..walking
not even shopping
I saw her
I know it was her
I know it was

I put the drink up
against my forehead
the perspiration of
the glass feels soo
good
If I can only sleep
but of that winter
of that town the
streets were a maze
and it began too snow
the most beautiful
minute flakes
the sound they made
blowing on the
frozen sidewalks
was the most
sweetest whisper

.....