Entrance

Entrance
by Thomas Calvin Miller

I hadn’t really changed my clothes in
well
I don’t remember when I had last thought to change
all my clothes, you know
here and there one article or another
whenever it seemed necessary
or switching off, pants one day and shirt the next

eight day beard
and sleep in my eyes,
but, you know
crust in the corners, not just that I looked tired
which I am, but
you know
the scruff was especially bad
don’t grow a beard so well
don’t spend the time your need to keep it nice
like a hedge or a poodle
I don’t even know, actually
it just comes out looking decrepit, seedy
basically unkempt
do you tend a moustache?
could never pull one off with these eyes anyway

I need to use lotion on my knees
and I’ve never noticed how
many blackheads it looks have collected on my nose
but, no, you’re
right, hair should not stand straight out like that
catch in your hand
itchy oily scalp

my mouth was half ajar, and I was
letting my eyes settle upwards up
into my skull and at the nothing ceiling
settled, so perfect a word
response
fingers slightly searching, trembling

I never even
noticed it before
you said something