The gargle of water through the pipes
The rattle of water in the ceramic tub,
and the day is washed off, but what's clean?
One shirt with a promise, a sock, off-white—
improvise,
smell right with detergent, with lab-spice.
Keen the streetlights wrap around the block
don't walk    don't walk    don't walk.

Because the sun hobbled and fell,
because the wind blows fire until now, I will
not sit still tonight, I will not learn to live to strive.
Because the paprika sky turned to pepper, and I am clean
I have set my affairs on nothing…