Stoplights

and we’re at the stoplight
passing hope around like
everything’s okay
minutes before midnight
laughing only on the outside
save me,
New Year’s Day
give me all the things taken away
taken away
dancing in the shadows of bonfires
modern middle class funeral pyres

benefit of the doubtful doubting less
what a wonderful, majestic mess
fella, I fall to the false idols
in and out of hell in endless cycles
creative killing of the will to survive
but it’s a thrill to try