i know you're new in town

it’s running late anyway
but you should have stopped at that sign

dead ahead an abused old city park
paper brown oak trees
yellow scarred
leaves fallen
grey paper sky December morning
blue jean man and woman standing by a bench
lookin’ to score – i’m thinking

7:32 in thick light blue green dashed lines on the radio

two cars like skating on ice
like two fuses converging
like a revelation emerging
cotton in my ears
time becomes elastic
and rewinds rerun the exploding inevitable
big blue car
chrome grill Ford
Crown Vic eastbound
kicks in my door, sores my arm

totaled, gasoline fire – i’m thinking
and i’m ashamed that no one else is moving quite yet
they stir seconds after me
the ones in the front seat, the two to my right
i keep yelling until all heads are outside
counting
all standing in the rain

i give my jacket up
trade my stone for an intense calm