The Usual

I’ll have a cup of coffee Nicole, a glass of water Nicole. 

She clutches last week's Times, The Thornbirds, 

Bill Clinton's life as if living depends on the show of control

over pages opened in sacrifice to her dilated life, on parole 

from no place like home, the beds, meds & mechanical words: 

I'll have a cup of coffee Nicole, a glass of water Nicole.

She says you look good; I like your earrings Nicole. 

Nicole did you get those earrings in Mexico? It's her third 

appearance today, as if living depends on the show of control

over delusions that dwell among the rafters. Hello, Nicole! 

Give me a minute; I’m going crazy, I said and yes she heard.

 I’ll have a cup of coffee Nicole, a glass of water Nicole;

and then her mind rewinds, allows her eyes to focus. Nicole, 

to keep from going crazy, what you do is read the paper. 

She bows to the page, as living depends on a show of control,

a pretense of order, the lather rinse repeat of any studied role: 

find a waitress, bring a book; here, repetition is less absurd: 

I’ll have a cup of coffee Nicole, a glass of water, Nicole 

because her life depends on this show of control.

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