3:23AM

she lay on my bed
said
"do you love me?"

i turn to her. the digital clock reads
3:23AM.
"what kind of shit is that? it's 3 after, babe."

"i know, i know, but i can't sleep. and when i close my eyes
i don't see you and that scares me."

"don't be," i said and turned my back
to her.

several minutes passed
and i could hear
a soft sobbing
behind me.

"what is it?"
i said, turning and sitting up.

"I can't sleep, and i really don't know what to think about us," she
cried, and cried, and cried.

"then don't think about anything, at all, babe. you'll poison your mind
and get to thinking too much of something so simple."

she said nothing, but she
was still crying, crying,
crying.

i got up, found a half-empty bottle of water, drank it,
and walked toward the bathroom.

while inside,
I swatted at the flies and
took a shit
prepared for
kings.

i wiped
flushed
turned to the door
and
walked toward heaven.