i no longer take

the sweet blue pill

for slumber

though i still count every penny

except the ones  i spend

on the sweet elixar

a word i can’t even spell

most of the time

independence is dangerous

if you look at it

through the jaded eyes

of the woman in

the black dress

the dirty laundry is

no longer airing

though i’m tempted from

time to time

the woman who named me

asks how i can be

so forgiving

so utterly unaware

of consequence

i simply smile and say

whatever, man