like a man
i packed tobacco
into my pipe but
i don’t own a yellow hat
in Shadowlands
C.S. Lewis told me
marriage is for life and
i never forgot that
i struck fire
from a Sahara Club
matchbook
that Carissa gave me
back in ’98
she took her clothes off
dancing
for a living but i didn’t
meet her that way
we used to drink
newcastles, smoke
menthols and walk
Newport’s back bay
we laughed
a lot
and did drugs
at raves
i used to tell her
“when i make it
i will take care
of you everyday.”
i never made it
and tonight
i cleared
my pipe with
one hit
one match
one woman