This Concludes—

a struggle to sum up, complete

the unending void, destroy its death,

restore

expectation, peace, freedom, joy.

Working, in the doldrums

for

heartache, calluses, emptiness;

Clawing, reaching, building promise on

lies, goddam lies!

I want

to scream, tremble,

snarl,

grunt,

spit it out!

Wake up

oblivious—

twirling, smiling, singing

breezy in pink—

with God and a cigarette

–

©Maria Pisciotta-DellaPorte