If OnlyA walk upon the treadmill pavementKnees weakThe ground movesBy some machination of an indifferent universe

A crawl along the endless concreteDrowning in a sea of strangersLike a boat with no wind in its sailsOr a bloody, crippled animalDragging itself to God-knows-whereTasked with the chore of being aliveObligated to existDid I ask for this?

A longing stare at the mocking sidewalkHoping maybeThat the earth will open up its mouthAnd swallow meLike 20 milligrams of Fluoxetine

I meet eyes with a passing busAnd imagine steppingFrom the curbAt the last minuteTo greet its windshieldLike a long-forgotten lover