another oily night by Jason Baldinger

there's a dead cockroach
in the mouse trap again
the pizza shop plays
the hits of the beach boys
slowed down, brian wilson
delivers quaaludes to god

streetlights ringed with rain
homeless man charlie brown
punts a help me sign, wind takes
away, so much for kindness

it's always a little desperate
this time of the year
seconds turn into a heart punch

I stop by a window
rain turns to snow
sign shrouded in plants
blanket affirmations
babe you look great

never one to believe
such affirmations
I scratch my beard
walk on, wet feet
slap pavement
another oily night

Jason Baldinger is a poet from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

 A former Writer in Residence at Osage Arts Community, he is co-founder of The Bridge Series.

 He has multiple books available including and Everyone’s Alone Tonight with James Benger (Kung Fu Treachery Press) 

the chapbook Blind Into Leaving (Analog Submission Press) as well as the forthcoming Afterlife is a Hangover (Stubborn Mule Press). His work has been published widely in print journals and online. You can listen to him read his work on Bandcamp and on lps by the bands Theremonster and The Gotobeds.