The Road of Tonight
by Frank Shimerdla
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The night watchman walks the cobbled
path by Angela's Rush--an old sewage line
of locust and fireflies. In shadows
a whisper lingers
long after lovers kiss. Somewhere a boy
pulls the blankets to cover the fear
in his eyes as goblins drink Jack
and shoot craps beneath
the bed. Rats skitter on old
newspapers in the back alley outside
his window. Around the corner
a neon bottle hangs over
a woman blowing a smoke circle into
the face of a stranger. The neighborhood
tavern slurs with drunks. Later,
one of them looks to a star-filled
sky. Clouds hover. Dogs bark. Straight
from basketball practice a child
runs into that eternally burning glare
of pork chops and television.
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