the record player skipped
". . . come out tonight, come out tonight, come out tonight, co- . . "
and 14 I cried in fits
of tar-black cover girl and dime store ruby lips
her voice like velvet in the afternoon
or gravel on gritty pre-dawn days
preceded by a puff of
virginia slim
- you look for safety baby girl but you won't find it
'cause nobody can give you that . . -

" . . come out tonight, come out toni- . . "

and she always walked away
disdain like rotted puppy love
leaking from eyes
the color of chlorine and six o'clock sun
muffled obesity in the living room shag
smokey soaked and lingering
like old kentucky bourbon
like blood on a sunday afternoon
after hymns and fabricated grins

" . . come out tonight . . . "

you'll dazzle all the boys
with this brand new scent
a dab behind the ears and a bit on the wrists
just where the pulse would be

" come out tonight . . ."

and 14 I screamed
plinking dead tunes on the old green upright
her broken hair falling
like barber shop discards
and granddaddy's abandoned legs

I sipped on the fading acrid air
my voice like satin on sunday's child

- you look for safety bitch but you won't find it,
not after tonight, not ever again . . -

and humming I watched
while she never walked away