INTERVIEW WITH THE TENANT OF APARTMENT 704 WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A WORD WITH THE SUPERINTENDANT.

I tried to go down but the elevator went up—

that’s not my gripe! You probably noticed

the plaster in my hair? I didn’t put no plaster in my hair!

When I woke up this morning it was bright outside.

All the little song sparrows was in the same little tree

as if the tree was jabbering & flapping on its own.

‘All right!’ I thought. ‘Yessir!’ I thought.

‘Today’s the day!’ I thought. ‘Been waiting!’ I thought.

‘I got my whole life in front of me!’ I thought,

lying there, in bed, glistening in my own glory

when the very peacefulness of my vision tore & the very

concepts of foundation & solidity tore in two &

the gut-damn ceiling came down—WET—all over me!

The hell is a Man if all I’ve got . . . is a Complaint!


[NaPoWriMo Sonnet #28.]