Chūzetsu

its holiday season and people are
flooding the streets like gutter rats.
everybody's supposed to be
happy - today, for some reason.

they've plastered numerous layers
of pretense and fake wonder to
roam like vagabonds, and stream
every second of their lives.

I sit outside the clinic waiting
for the doctor to come get me. A
few folks have lined up to yell
at me "You will burn in hell!"

Nurse comes out for a smoke and tells
"its over." I go inside and find her pale,
worn-out self. Doc prescribes her ibuprofen
for pain, and bed-rest for the day.