SMOKING INDOORS

Hooks empty. A shed of bent sheet metal.

The sun tweaks your brain’s stub, flicks it,

and a bylaw arm wrestles with a head full of splinters.

Given the chance to ignore the elbow

lifted from the table, most do.


We do what we think we need to.

Fingers printed with yellow ink, a fake tan

nicotine drew. A cigarette’s papery rope unravelled.

One headlight, weaving hand to mouth.

Smoke half, butt the other half out.