Solemnity

Night’s descent found the cognac up and out your loose thread veins
hostels, travelin’ bands, crackheads, you too with unsaid veins

Hush, close the bathroom door, unwind your belt, breathe in, shoot the
stepped-on, mis-weighed, cut-down, lower your head ‘tween your leg veins

Between toes, at your elbows, in your hands or in your hips, tie a couple off and bathe
keep the sweat off your back, do it at home, do it alone, don’t just drink to unwed veins

Get those grippy socks when the E.R. doctors spit you into another Baker Act
Florida: better hits, scary laws, low, slow faces, and the purest smack for lead veins

Call your friends, sit in skinnies, stare at Saint Anthony’s white walls, threaten
nurses to get your pants back, don’t eat, withdraw, chafe wrists ’til they’re bled veins

Writhe with hot brandy on your mind when your sister says “Sam, you can’t keep doin’ this”
lay your head on the cool car window. Long sleeves for now. ’Til you’ve got lookin’ ahead veins.