crimson flashes
flood the room
as the neon cross
across the street
proclaims brashly
jesus saves

she smiles, teeth red in the sickly glow
kneeling in supplication
as gunshots rattle off
in the not too distance

the only souls saved
were the ones
greedily swallowed
fifteen bucks
or a fix
is the cheapest
sort of salvation
in this dope sick city