Snowblow

the city keeps its dead in the ductwork

i hear them when the heat kicks on

i drag a chair to the window

watch a crane lift nothing for hours

someone below smashes a bottle

and the street flinches like an animal

i whisper a name i made up

just to see if anything answers

the smoke leaves my mouth in a straight line

as if it knows where it's going

inside me a room closes its only door

without touching the knob

i wait for the lock to turn

it never does

the city exhales

i borrow its breath

something inside pulls the chain

and the lone bulb flickers out

and i write it down

so it won't have to die alone