[and to put my arms around]
and to put my arms around
the evening implanted
a routine loneliness
defined by
I want to give up too
wakes me up from searching
when I set up this way, I'll go to it
I also want to leave it
if this is an option
when I see this motion abandoned
trust me, I’m going–
you’ll want to give up too
that’s my hand raised
let’s go
[I am like a beautiful rat in this animal-soul]
I am like a beautiful rat in this animal-soul.
Wait come back! I’ll be good.
Kiss my head.
Split open my head with happiness.
I’m just unable to do the work
yet clutter in sleet meaning later
and a therapy of warm water
water boiling away, but’ll say...
I keep saying...
Get up! but on the other hand–
Go to sleep.
Get to bed.
Get some sleep.
Douglas Piccinnini is the author of Beautiful, Safe & Free (New Books, 2023), Blood Oboe (Omnidawn, 2015), and Story Book: a novella (The Cultural Society, 2015), as well as numerous chapbooks. His work has appeared in publications such as the Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day, American Poetry Review, The Brooklyn Rail, Colorado Review, Denver Quarterly, digital vestiges, Dreginald, Fence, Fives, Lana Turner, Michigan Quarterly Review, Posit, Prelude, Tilted House, Tupelo Quarterly, Verse, Volt, The Volta, and other outlets.