For Nancy James:


I am better at killing these days. A fire escape throne is where I take breaks. I watched you write your poems on police hats. Drafts after drafts after drafts. Then I died in your arms.

When I close my eyes, it has to be twice. I came to this town in peace, but left with money in my pocket. Therefore comedy is still deadlier than revolution. I gave you my heart (with a plastic butter knife). I haven't smiled perfectly with someone for a couple of days. 

I ducked a plate sized penny. It decapitated the statue behind me. Hard feelings. Police fans' white knuckles I notice more than their banners. When I was a child, I ignored crowds going wild. 

Here, we are in a gang. Surrounded by surrounded people, we almost don't stutter.