3a.m. escape

got up off the couch

and immediately the room cleared of its winged creatures

flapping in time

to an abdominal exercise machine on the glowing box,

ahhh!

falling asleep again without turning off the television

the evangelists would be up soon

with their healing tentacles

of credit card lust

my mind cleansed by amber spirits,

leaving a pallet as rough as cindery thongs

the last remnants of yesterday

hanging off my crumpled clothing

flashbacks of a late-night telephone call to the ex-wife

like a scientist hell-bent on an answer for cancer

the sun was on the way up

over a cloud–splangled banner

as the jury slept

time to get on the road again

and grab a radar-gun breakfast