The heart monitor's constant
reminder lets me remember where
I am. The noise drives me crazy
like dripping water when you are
trying to sleep. The clean white in the
room surrounds me. Everything is
disenfected.

How did I get here? I.C.U. really means
lucky to be alive. I remeber leaving the
bar. Stepping out onto the dingy sidewalk.
Walking under starry backdrop of an August
night.

I was covered in sweat. The hole in the wall
watering hole had no AC. The night was
sticky warm but the night air was a sweet
relief from the heat downstairs.

You fuckin' Jew. All of a sudden I hit
the groud with the force of a hammer on
a anvil. I am sure my body made
the same loud ping sound. I remeber
his boots.

Dark as a shawdow of high noon,
with white laces highlighting my fate.
That is all I could tell the police. Jotting notes
to them on yellow paper. They said this man
crushed my mouth on a curb.

Blood, spit and sidewalk. It could
not have been a pleasant taste.
I lay with the wires vice like grip clamping
my jaw shut. I have these little wire clippers in
case I need to vomit.

My tounge meets my lips where my
teeth used to be. The police said they were strewn
across the sidewalk like stars spread
over the sky. Left glimmering lit up
by the street light.

I awoke confused and startled 3 days later.
I forced my eyes open and a lady
smiling and carrying a tray. Are you thirsty?
She pushed a straw between my lips.

And I am not even Jewish.