Elegy at the Cinema for Deaths Real & Imagined

I horror falling
again into it
as I haunt early
morning sidewalk
runner already slicked
with sweat fades into shadows
in shadows some distance
away sound of dragging 
rusted metal music in my
head too loud one Embiid 
bucket after another splashes
upon imagination 70 ways
to score 70 ways to wind
up dead cinematic mind
drifting through prism 
in the alley two teens 
too young to be awake
disappear in front 
of bookstore homeless
still enveloped into an un-
forgiving sky Telsa screens
asleep in the black light
last night’s cans along
curb, someone’s abandoned
pizza slice strung about
in shrubs a discarded
shoe mud-stuck sound 
of dragging metal still some 
distance off white lights 
of bakery chocolate stenches 
the a.m. air after
three days of rain the low
river risen rabbits stranded
on the sudden make-
shift island three birds
equal distance & parallel
momentary blurring spots
upon hushed sky then each 
one shifts into an erratic 
pattern the flair of flight
where wings take you
anywhere rainboots splashing 
many puddles another runner 
with orange safety 
vest & reflectors comes upon
like a zombie fast-forwarded 
my heart pukes not dead 
just nearly glitching film
killer now on rewind pixelated
apartment with shades drawn
shut dragging rusted
metal sound creeping 
all the closer a shout some 
blocks over sends instant 
shivers sun makes a half-
ass shrug at day then disappears
sky bleeds into slate cyclops
eye tree boxed by buildings
on all sides roots rise
crack cement an awkward 
trip on occasion desolate 
street not a single
car passes my music
still too loud so it joins
temporary silence of morning 
in my hand a bag full 
of freshly baked
bagels scent of coffee 
from a not yet open 
café dim lights a light
drizzle the scraping metal 
all the closer mortality’ limits spin
around eye to eye with emptiness
big beats blare as sports car smears by
behind blackened windows a father awakes 
wipes daughter’s drool from arm more small 
birds streak across sky as fat 
wet flakes start to fall a shadow 
crosses then pauses 
at the door I fish my hat 
from coat pocket turn 
music up & step into whatever
it is the day will become