streetlights

they say that life itself is a kind of sadness
that to live is to love the pain
they say that fools are holy and children wise
that much I believe
what happens to the lonely fools when the streetlights dim?
there’s only so long you can walk at night
before night walks on you
at 5 in the morning the sky is the most beautiful purple blue
and no one’s around to see it
the world has a sacred hush
not the forced holiness of church
not the kind where you create the moment
but when the moment creates you
where breathing a word
would shatter the world somehow
and let reality in
and running you can see the streetlamp from the bottom of the hill
how reaching that island of light means more than reaching home
but you can’t stay there
frozen breath curling out like incense
you can’t stay
sooner or later the bulb clicks off
when its not needed anymore
have you ever watched streetlights turn off?
they don’t go all together
but in a staggered row
each choosing their own time to die
each choosing their own time to be reborn to the night
what happens in between?
we live
dream
try
fail
blow bubbles
read bad poetry
tell worse jokes
play Frisbee
with lunch trays
do stupid stuff
and laugh about it
do stupid stuff
and cry about it
steal seconds from father time
pay the price later
shoot off fireworks
look at the stars
hurt those we care about most
hurt ourselves
drive 70 to get there
and 25 coming back
miss deadlines
come up with stupid excuses
just to get a smile
go to watch movies
forget to watch the movie
sit in the car and talk
sit in the car and not say a word
mix a few parts bitter
with a few parts sweet
shake: don’t stir
life don’t come with olives
and it’s a damn shame
listen to music
sing off-key
just let the notes hit and slide off
and look at what they left behind
get through another day
waiting for the dark
so we can find that island of light
while the world is still asleep