emotional discourse becomes the enemy

emotional discourse becomes the enemy
(writing poetry
is flirting with danger)

at three a.m.
my sister is eating bagels
on the couch in her pajamas
watching th all-hours news
(so that you can see people die
anytime)
and i think i've gone cynical
and i think we're all crazy
we're down
to the last card in our deck

(the three of clubs
never was my lucky day)