Reckoner

College radio
sound tracking the city lights
just beyond the trees awaiting rain and
and growth to raise them up
or cut them down,
respectively.

I looked into the windshield
through the flickers of modern life
beyond the desperate dark.
Thought of past lovers
in future tense
and all gained and lost by
anyone anywhere.
Felt the buzz in my spine
crawling in through my ear
from ominous power lines.
Ate hot garbage from a paper bag,
called it a contemplative thing
birthed out of necessity.

Napkin-mouthed, I silently
wished I smoked,
so I could put off driving
five more minutes
to two more hours work on a 
Wednesday midnight
no one will remember.