Jacob

everybody in that building is screaming

everybody in that building knows

everybody in that building
has a little plastic number

and they’re waiting
for their turn

Jacob,

you know how this works

had your smooth face
in the dirt

you’ve had your hands around His neck
yelling

yield

or die

get back in there

give 'em five-four

I know you make it land

tell Him we are down here

kicking tires

getting caught
in the rain

some of us are starving
begging for trash

watching silver dollars
wash down the drain

some of us are walking around
in plastic skirts

made with broken fingers

needles buried too deep
to shake them loose

I wrap myself
in cello skins

on my shoulders like a mantle

and I thought
it’d still keep me warm

but seems sometimes
the wind blows too hard

and just cuts

right through

Jacob

you’re a dirty cheat

and for some reason
you have the seat

so get me that belt

and break a hip

’cause I got
a bone to pick

Jacob

you’ve been here before

I need your arm
to fight my war

’cause

I want to be like Lightning

riding on the waves
speed of sound

travel the world
all around

until I look down
and realize

I’ve found

my legs reach
to the ocean shore.

Listen here,

crowded room

I got something
to say to you

maybe we were not abandoned

cracked along the edge

sang me wings
that grew to sails

and carry us
along the gales

into the open air

and that building is full of people

who will bite off your hands

and I can’t

be one of them.