Worse than poison ivy

undeniable itch when

far reaching forearm- bottom of the barrel itch when

drugstore

cowboy –end of the line-

fantasy

when

pleading phone calls IOU’s when

monkey trainer looks scared, trusty whip snapped in two

old man pulls on a rope, empty bucket out of a well

bank machine giggles, Insufficient Funds

running on fumes, jerk-shudder-tremble, car comes to a halt, ‘No fuel

this side

of legal

will ever get that engine

turned over’