- Keith Banner
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
