the rats watch
at the edge of
the alleyway
unblinking eyes
following every
flash of motion

i sit
waiting for a
burst of
willingness
to step out
into the heat
already
dreading the walk
downtown
beneath the solemn
concrete edification
signalling
humanity’s lack
of wellbeing

pigeons hop
unashamedly
begging for
whatever scraps
will be dropped
to the steaming
sidewalk
a flock perched
on golden arches
a stream of
shit dripping
over billions
and billions served

tent cities
line the underpasses
among billowing
gusts of trash
rats and pigeons
angry glares
summer has stricken
the city with
a hopeless sense
of subtle misery
a dangerous undertow
as my guts grumble
sweat stings
my barely open
ocular agony
an occulatio
in an excess of
too hot nothingness