Happy Halloween! Trick or Treat?
Bloodletting Fees by Adam Dustus
Vomit smells dominate
Amid holding cell fermenting wait
After intensive fuzzy interrogation
Zombie hostage
Mid-life crisis situation
Being escorted to precinct station
A detaining cauldron
Squirming bacteria
Seething sticky cement
Sardines sit benched
Stench sweat
Scrambled yellow blocks mental
Self becomes mere guess
Seeking tricks?
Nobody could know
Not expecting his wife
Soon told him so
Disbelieving
This Halloween
Bloody horror
Silly string
Subconscious mistake, regret
An additional mortgage dis—
Pence
Over the counter
To in jest
Rigamortis
Starting over
Numerous bad choices
Wasted welter of cruel nagging voices
Sign glares at eve
Sunken so low
Swimming arms sway
Within long flannel sleeves
Russet plaid pajama-clad
Half-life scene for so long, too bads
Sleepwalker wandering
Mumbling sad
Through sordid shadows
Skidding down row
Neurochemical mystery flows
Proving illusive for restive intentions
While still denying abusive dimension
Downed
Ambien
Set in
Mind—moved
Matter
Programmed
Steps
Right
Left
Undead
Down town home stairs
Out front door fled
Led by gutted shadows
Twitching flounder
Beneath sinking sail
Squinting moist cataract veils
Shimmering city light
Impactions byte
Nothing registers
Skin itching, sour milk smelling, market rot
Pulsating neon beer signs, marquees, double parked lot
Inside boils oblivion steam
Blood flow still being one
Warmth through knock out routine
Lying fetal, cheek to porous curb
Eyeballing shoed casino herd
Shapes pass emitting coronas
Under lamppost an eternity
Listening to the earth's beat
Trembling underground
Buzzing throng, blurry people
Clacking along sidewalk
See through sequin chemise
Each painted face
Sheets, capes, tails, hidden life
Costume heroes
Clashing toxins
Boasting revelers drunk
Living sleep
Fortunate waking up
Perhaps it karma
Or dumb luck
Someone tossed
A quarter at him
The well wished
Taking pity
Near the forest green
Bulk dumpster
Stray meowing
Hungry kitties chewing onion rings
Tongue garbage lapping
Before assault happening
He was mistaken for a deaf beggar
By two different versions of GaGa
Adjusting broken chandelier hats
Spilling candy out plastic pumpkin heads
Chugging Pixie Sticks
Joking they would never pick up death
Still helping him out anyway
Yet alone he's left
Unaware blood drips
Into a shark stalking tank
Violent brood of collective vampires
Aiming for wallet and wrist watch
Thwarted, foot stomps forced open his hand
That had instinctively held clutched to his wedding band
Assailing barrage, strikes and insults
Battering life, smashing somnambulist mien
Laughing, a farewell kick to the nuts
Field goal thud, imaginary crowd roar
DB blocks
Count Dracula's punt
Thieves off with the ring
Man screams again
He can't understand
Almost breaking through his coma
Time's broken hour-hand
Froze forever held
No awakening instant
Except when heart melts
What's lifted
Disorderly conduct disturbing peace
Chin trickles red from broken front teeth
Resisting arrest, billy club beaten,
Struck over the head
Seal like squealing
Ear drums pounding
Arms behind cuffed, siren sounding
Cursing 3 glasses of vinegary wine
That smooth cap-sized pill for sleep
Future ending in divorce
Bloodletting fees
Feeling tricked
Through poison means
Amid holding cell fermenting wait
After intensive fuzzy interrogation
Zombie hostage
Mid-life crisis situation
Being escorted to precinct station
A detaining cauldron
Squirming bacteria
Seething sticky cement
Sardines sit benched
Stench sweat
Scrambled yellow blocks mental
Self becomes mere guess
Seeking tricks?
Nobody could know
Not expecting his wife
Soon told him so
Disbelieving
This Halloween
Bloody horror
Silly string
Subconscious mistake, regret
An additional mortgage dis—
Pence
Over the counter
To in jest
Rigamortis
Starting over
Numerous bad choices
Wasted welter of cruel nagging voices
Sign glares at eve
Sunken so low
Swimming arms sway
Within long flannel sleeves
Russet plaid pajama-clad
Half-life scene for so long, too bads
Sleepwalker wandering
Mumbling sad
Through sordid shadows
Skidding down row
Neurochemical mystery flows
Proving illusive for restive intentions
While still denying abusive dimension
Downed
Ambien
Set in
Mind—moved
Matter
Programmed
Steps
Right
Left
Undead
Down town home stairs
Out front door fled
Led by gutted shadows
Twitching flounder
Beneath sinking sail
Squinting moist cataract veils
Shimmering city light
Impactions byte
Nothing registers
Skin itching, sour milk smelling, market rot
Pulsating neon beer signs, marquees, double parked lot
Inside boils oblivion steam
Blood flow still being one
Warmth through knock out routine
Lying fetal, cheek to porous curb
Eyeballing shoed casino herd
Shapes pass emitting coronas
Under lamppost an eternity
Listening to the earth's beat
Trembling underground
Buzzing throng, blurry people
Clacking along sidewalk
See through sequin chemise
Each painted face
Sheets, capes, tails, hidden life
Costume heroes
Clashing toxins
Boasting revelers drunk
Living sleep
Fortunate waking up
Perhaps it karma
Or dumb luck
Someone tossed
A quarter at him
The well wished
Taking pity
Near the forest green
Bulk dumpster
Stray meowing
Hungry kitties chewing onion rings
Tongue garbage lapping
Before assault happening
He was mistaken for a deaf beggar
By two different versions of GaGa
Adjusting broken chandelier hats
Spilling candy out plastic pumpkin heads
Chugging Pixie Sticks
Joking they would never pick up death
Still helping him out anyway
Yet alone he's left
Unaware blood drips
Into a shark stalking tank
Violent brood of collective vampires
Aiming for wallet and wrist watch
Thwarted, foot stomps forced open his hand
That had instinctively held clutched to his wedding band
Assailing barrage, strikes and insults
Battering life, smashing somnambulist mien
Laughing, a farewell kick to the nuts
Field goal thud, imaginary crowd roar
DB blocks
Count Dracula's punt
Thieves off with the ring
Man screams again
He can't understand
Almost breaking through his coma
Time's broken hour-hand
Froze forever held
No awakening instant
Except when heart melts
What's lifted
Disorderly conduct disturbing peace
Chin trickles red from broken front teeth
Resisting arrest, billy club beaten,
Struck over the head
Seal like squealing
Ear drums pounding
Arms behind cuffed, siren sounding
Cursing 3 glasses of vinegary wine
That smooth cap-sized pill for sleep
Future ending in divorce
Bloodletting fees
Feeling tricked
Through poison means
*********
Cheers, Adam
