Frozen Eyes

Smoke comes out of my lungs

And back up

Out of my mouth

But I pretend that it’s just my breathe in the cold

As the parents look at me

With laser eyes

I try not to cough

And my eyes start to water

A tear

Falls out of my left eye

And slowly

So slowly

Runs down my cheek

It’s so cold out

That it freezes on the tip of my nose

And hangs there

The kid laughs

As I cross my bloodshot eyes trying to see my frozen tear

The mom and dad pull him away

Scoffing at me as they do so

He looks back and I stick out my tongue

Then, after they’re gone,

I take another hit from my joint

And walk to the bar

Where I sit for hours

Pretending to be a respectable

Poet

And sip on Mescal

And try to forget their eyes.

CH 1/19/24