it's all right

it’s all right
by D George Gawlik
he turned off the hot water
pulled back the shower curtain
and began to towel himself off
first his chest
then his arms
then his face
that’s when
his eyes began to
burn
itch
maddeningly
so he scrubbed them harder
with his towel but they only
itched more began to ache
so he scrubbed harder
deeper with his fingers
pressed with his thumbs
until with a plop
his eyeballs
rolled out of his head
onto the the floor of the shower
and were sucked down the drain
though he didn’t seem to mind
as he somewhat tripped over the
rim of the tub
stuffed the bath towel
back into the rack
went slowly downstairs
and with some trouble
lit a cigar
he sat at the kitchen table
puffing on his Black & Mild
while his cat paced in quick circles
meowing concernedly
shut up Rosie, he said
it’s all right
Rosie jumped up into his lap
tilted her head curiously at him
then licked the spot on his nose
between the two dark hollows
and she
watched him blow a perfect
smoke ring then stuck her paw
through it and sneezed
he set the cigar in the ashtray
and scrubbed Rosie’s cheeks
every thing would be
all right now
without the ugliness
the ugliness
of the buildings
and the billboards
of the bumper stickers
and the tailgaters
of the cracked sidewalks
and the empty storefronts
of the manager’s mustache
and the assistant’s bowtie
of the false and
pale sun lighting
all the faces gnawed
by wait & worry
it’s all right