friday, suddenly

to walk
among the dead that seize
to stay shut
seeing sad girls, dark makeup
sylvia plath quotes tattooed on
skinny arms
legs that hardly touch the ground
only floating
pressed against the shoulders of others
that will not let her drop
just looking, looking at her
scars, dirt spots, manuscripts
that almost fall from the pockets
on her peatcoat and smoking
long cigarettes to asphyxiate her opponents
that never knew they had rivals
but she did
laid in bed late all night thinking about them
the look on their faces
tears that swell the face, doubling size
turning red just thinking about it
how they never let in
and how she never accepted the pity
of their invitations.