Sul Serio
I had a friend
who used to inject
ink straight
into his arteries
black tracks
running up his arms;
dead now,
of course – no one lives like that;
barely call it living
black ink
I remember – always
black ink
i asked him about it
once when he was high & I was drunk
he studied the barmaid for a while
watched her jeans & shoulders
& said
I just want
to be taken
seriously