Melted crayons drip off a crinkled radiator
spilling rainbow’s residue on a waxed floor
Rotary dial spinning in dazzling pirouettes
but silence bounces off the shadows on the walls
Static radio choked in a futile attempt at resuscitation
by inexperienced chubby hands, groping a broken knob
Yesterday’s takeout still rests on a disabled table
that shakes with fervor
Outside the moon beats, the sun at hide and seek
and metal trash cans roll in darkening alleyways
Street lamps flicker and lose their breath trying
Whimpering cats sing a goodnight lullaby
to the children who don’t let themselves be heard
She presses a button-nose to a fingerprinted glass
that overlooks hollow roads
She hears no footsteps and sees no silhouettes
Mama has forgotten about her again
She breaks a cylinder jar filled with copper pennies
and stomps on jagged shards
She twirls on melted crayons and hits the ground
Anything, anything to take away the silence
