Dubious eyes are at us here

Dubious eyes are at us here
afraid of the dark, or the end

of the party that wandered away
to the next place; searching

like all the others.

Anything is better than nothing,
they nod in agreement,
pretending to move to the music.

It's easier to walk away alone, but
I take your hand, and you hold on

as I lead you to where you'll sleep tonight.

The city is overtaken by a soothing notion. It falls,

The city is overtaken by a soothing notion. It falls, 

like you, 

into dreams through which he wanders

among austere columns supporting highways 

high above him; concrete & steel temples

in which he alone worships

at this hour.

In the silence he believes

he hears the gentle tones of your voice. Then again

as he watches a car's red lights vanish into the distance

a moment before he turns the key.

His bag slips into an indifferent bundle

in the dark and with his hand poised over the electric switch

everything becomes clear. 

I can't lie anymore

In the dark the ticking of a clock on the wall

is amplified by each

successive

second