my city can barely stand
the rain that falls on it tonight
the trains looking for the station
the gamblers and the flashing lights
in the lost factory my true love
counts to ten, then starts again
the boats down at the river tell each other
lies about where they have been
my brother holds his head in his hands
as if that’s how you stop time
some clowns crowded in the alley sing
and some of them pick fights
the children clutch their candy
in their hands, keeping the secret
because they know already
no one they tell will believe it
I walk down the center line,
invisible like glass
the steam grates whisper confessions
of dreams that will not come to pass
I drop pennies into them
I feed the meters stones
I stand guard outside the houses
nobody calls home
I tell them stories, in hopes that
tonight they’ll get some sleep
I tell them everything will be
different in the morning