to the movies.

crunched white ice
under worn bowling shoes
frayed laces and empty
circles

stone dead hands
inside borrowed
fleece and cotton
holding rolled coin

knit cap on top
gray and black
over long thick
hair

he walks alone
to the near empty
theatre
and asks for just one

paying
in rolled quarters
and looking past
the popcorn

he forgets why
it took him here
the cold weather
and the coins

in another place
the dark helps him
calm his world
for just 2 hours

j-