1AM ON A 3'X6' STEEL SHEET TOP BUNK

BY CASEY GOONAN

STACKED

SNORES AMASS

HOWLS FROM ONE HUNDRED

WAITING SLEEPING MEN

REVERBERATING THROUGHOUT

THIS ECHOE CHAMBER POD

SORROW SOULS HUMMING

CHORUS OF ONE HUNDRED CAGED WAITING

VOICES, MUTED

RESTING FROM DAY'S PENT UP STRESS/LOATHING/ DISTRACTIONS

ONE HUNDRED PRESENT-TENSES ARRESTED WAITING

PRODUCING OCTIVES THAT SCALE

ANOTHER SLEEPLESS STARLESS NIGHT

A REPRIEVE FROM THE HUM HUMM HUMMM

SILENCE BROKEN BY DEPUTY BOOTS

JAIL KEYS CLINKING LIKE WHITE DEVIL TAMBORINE

SUMMONING A HOWLING CHORUS

OF SNORRING MEN WAITING

NOW PUNCTURED BY NOW

NOXIOUS BOWL MOVEMENTS

DISTANT TOIETS FLUSHING LOUDLY

SMELLS OF SHIT SEEPING INTO OUR

STACKED CELL SLEEPING WAITING

WHILE THE BOY IN THE BUNK

CONTINUES TO REEK OF

RANCID UNWASHED FEET

FROM HIS FOUR CONSECUTIVE DAYS

IN BED, SILENT WAITING

UNMOVING

FACE UNFLINCHED WITH TEARLESS EYES

I WANT TO TELL HIM

IT’S OKAY

YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT

TO FIND A BETTER MORNING

YET NOTHING OF THE SORT CAN BE PROMISED

TO THESE ONE HUNDRED SLEEPING MEN WAITING

THIS IS JAIL AND WAITING

THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERIKKKA