Shards
I’m told it’s just a workhorse
but he can’t hold a basic job
and I’m asked for cash
to fund his plans
but the only plan
ends up being the pipe
He claims he is in battle
I don’t know who he is battling
if anyone at all
but I see the war he is losing
He insists they have done something to his balls
except he won’t say who ‘they’ are
and I don’t know why ‘they’ would do anything
to his balls
He ends up broke
visits the pawn dealer to hock his guitar
the surfboards and whatever else
for a little more
He calls me when there is nothing left to scrape
nobody left to lean on
He drops in a few times to say hello and use the shower
wearing my towel in the kitchen
Sometimes we have a few beers
and a paid meal
if my pockets are deep enough
He roll starts his car to avoid the interlock
sometimes I help push just to get rid of him
Sometimes when I’m not around he will sleep
in the car in my front yard
Sometimes I’m in my room when he sleeps in the car
but he doesn’t have to know