My hands are hurting again
From doing the cheaper cocaine
At the birthday my arm went numb
So I drank three vodka waters
Caleb looked at me like I was insane
When I told him Requiem for a Dream just
Didn’t make me feel a thing
Nikki fell asleep before me
So I’ve stayed up too late
Rudi asked if Monticello at noon
On Saturday might be okay
Their friend I met tonight didn’t laugh
My thirteenth joke about night sweats
From night to day to night
Didn’t land because not everyone flies this way
Embarrassed palpitations since my heart
Physically hurts so bad
Sunshine eyes are always
Shades of reddish-grays
I had a meeting this morning but instead
I moved that and said I hurt my hand
When my colleague asked
How I hurt my hand
All I said—
Well, you know,
How do I explain?
Ever watched Requiem for a Dream?
Alex Kemp (she/her) is a poet and film writer. Her work focuses primarily on the southern working class, memory, grief, and exploration of interpersonal relationships. Currently, Alex lives between Brooklyn, New York and the Alabama Gulf Coast. You can follow her on Instagram @_alexiskemp
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