you crawl

at the crossroads of thought
near emergency exits at the mall
knocking on house doors

unheard and slow
like a soldier in camouflage

to rape my hands

rob the joints of peace
with capitalism gone wrong

until my heart becomes
an urban agglomeration

you beep
like a broken grandfather clock

and i can just
shiver
at the headline
imposed on me:

it’s nothing but a bad memory