everything maroon

it used to be the

only place on earth

and that was

survival

like you needed

to enter

that airless a-c

feeling

that planet of not-there

the smell of backed-up candy

butter and

amnesia

the color of luxury is

maroon

you can never forget

how poor you are

but here

you don't remember

a fucking thing

just waiting

for a set of memories to start

(you stole 3 dollars

from the cash register

shut up)

stacked up

medicinal

streisand

and the lost ark

you need something outside

of yourself

you need to know

that 1981

is just 1980

just 1979

just 1978

just you surfacing from

dirt and grease and mop-water

to claim a couple of hours

you are a member of

the human race

you are this

freak

here

enjoying

something

secret

everything maroon

then nothing but

what's there

and when it disappears

it doesn't even matter

when it goes under

you are already there

places have secrets

but they also have

screams