hexagon

I long hard studied a picture of our faces
as big as the United States
I thought if I traced the right interstate, I'd find myself
between the lakefront & your place
I wasted the entire day, I wouldn't find me anyway,
I was trapped between the rubber stamps & rain
as my heart beat in my belly I knew you'd never dare to tell me
my fingers threw you like an aeroplane

every night my city tells your story
& my feet tiptoe to the launching pad
next time around I'm going guts & glory,
up, up, & away

I sleep inside a hexagon & every night I wait for dawn
to wake me early from my sleep
& at 8 am, the edges bust in
& shine off the single bell's you bought me
it's the hard cough syrup blues, the dusty bedside brews,
I tried to toss two months of dirty proof
but nothing's got to give, my fantasy can live,
when it's got nothing to answer to

every night my city tells your story
& my feet tiptoe to the launching pad
next time around I'm going guts & glory,
up, up, & away

here I'm my own analyst, the pillow is my therapist,
& I do it all in ruby slippers
"there's no place like home"? no, see, baby, I am home
there's no place like before you met her
you can follow my toothpicks up & down the city's bricks
from the elevator shaft to the air conditioned train
I've left behind a trail in case you ever want details
on how I pulled myself apart & got away

every night my city tells your story
& my feet tiptoe to the launching pad
next time around I'm going guts & glory,
up, up, & away