Claxons

The nightly news goes from
cannibal cops
to black Friday sales,
and the man next to me chuckles-
a quick, sort of cheerless
stir of the air-
and then he lights a cigarette.

Me, I'm growing a beard.
And there's a game on tonight,
but I don't much feel like talking about it yet.
So I'll just say that it's a bit too bright in here,
and watch the boys flip bottlecaps
into the trash.

I'll listen to the sirens all around me,
and keep my whiskered chin up,
and do my best to stay calm.